Z>V  3790  .E93  1910 

Evans,  William,  1870-1950 

Personal  soul-winning 


PEESONAL  SOUL  -  WINNING 


Other  Works  by 
WILLIAM  EVANS 

The  Great  Doctrines  of 
the  Bible 

The  Book  of  Books 
What  It  Is;  How  to  Study  It. 

How  to  Memorize 

The  Christian  ^ 
His  Creed  and  Conduct 


How  to  Prepare  Sermons 
and  Gospel  Addresses 

Outline  Study  of  the  Bible 

"Why  I  am  Not  a  Chris- 
tian Scientist" 

The  Book  Method  of 
Bible  Study 


THE  BIBLE  INSTITUTE 

COLPORTAGE  ASS'N 
826  North  LaSalle  St.  .Chicago 


PERSONAL 
SOULWINNING 


/ 

v/ 

By   WILLIAM   EVANS,   Ph.  D.,  D.  D. 

Bible  Teacher  and  Director  of  Bible  Conferences 
Formerly 

Associate  Dean,  The  Bible  Institute  of  Los  Angeles.    For  some  years 

Director  of  the  Bible  Course,  The  Moody  Bible  Institute  of 

Chicago.    Author  of  "  The  Book  of  Books,"  "  How  to 

Memorize,"  "Outline  Study  of  the  Bible," 

"  How  to  Prepare  Sermons  and  Gospel 

Addresses,'"  "The  Book-Method 

of  Bible  Study,"  etc. 


CHICAGO 

THE  BIBLE  INSTITUTE  COLPORTAGE  ASSOCIATION 

836  NORTH  LA  SALLE  STREET 


nOFTBIQHT,  1910.  ET 
WULUIAM  EVAJKS 


To 
Rev.  R.  A.  Torrey,  D.  D. 

under  whose  efficient  instruction  the  writer  sai 

for  two  years  and  from  whom  his  first  lessons 

in  Personal  Soul-Winnine  were  learned, 

this  book  is  dedicated. 


FOREWORD. 

No  higher  honor  conld  be  conferred  upon  the  Chris- 
tian, and  no  greater  privilege  be  given  the  believer  in 
Jesus  Christ  than  to  be  associated  with  Him  in  the 
great  and  blessed  work  of  bringing  a  lost  world  to 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth.  ''Behold,  what  manner  of 
love  the  Father  hath  bestowed  upon  us/'  to  put  us  into 
so  great  a  ministry. 

It  is  not  possible  for  every  Christian  to  be  a  preacher 
or  a  teacher  in  spiritual  things,  for  these  are  special 
gifts  bestowed  by  the  Holy  Spirit  upon  certain  believ- 
ers, even  as  it  hath  pleased  Him.  But  there  is  no  Chris- 
tian, however  humble  or  insignificant  he  may  feel  him- 
self, or  others  esteem  him  to  be,  who  is  not  appointed 
by  the  Spirit  to  be  a  winner  of  souls.  One  often  won- 
ders whether  the  honor  conferred  upon  the  believer  of 
being  a  soul-winner  is  not  greater  than  the  conferred 
gift  of  teaching  or  preaching;  and  whether  or  not  at 
the  last  day,  when  the  rewards  are  distributed,  the  per- 
sonal soul-winner  will  receive  as  great,  if  not  a  greater 
reward  than  many  a  teacher  or  preacher.  Daniel  12 :3 
(R.  V.)  is  filled  with  glorious  comfort  for  the  man  who 
seeks  to  turn  sinners  to  God :  "And  they  that  be  teach- 
ers shall  shine  as  the  brightness  of  the  firmament ;  and 
they  that  turn  many  to  righteousness,  as  the  stars  for- 
ever and  ever." 

That  the  individual  Christian  may  be  prompted,  en- 
couraged, and  equipped  to  do  this  kind  of  Personal 
Soul- Winning  work,  is  the  purpose  of  this  book.  Its 
popular  or  conversational  style  of  address  will,  it  is 
hoped,  enable  the  book  to  more  thoroughly  accomplisli 
its  purpose.     Tlie  leading  Scripture  references    have 

7 


8  .     PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

been  made  to  stand  out  distinctly  from  the  main  body 
of  type  in  order  that  they  may  be  easily  located. 

The  writer,  who  is  the  instructor  on  the  subject  of 
which  this  book  treats,  in  the  Moody  Bible  Institute 
of  Chicago,  has  prepared  this  work  not  more  for  the 
general  public  than  for  the  young  men  and  women  who 
regularly  take  the  work  in  his  classes.  Many  of  the 
students  have  expressed  a  wish  to  have  these  lectures  in 
a  printed  and  a  completed  form,  so  that  when  out  in 
the  field  they  may  have  opportunity  to  refer  to  and 
make  use  of  them  in  the  work  of  soul-winning,  to 
which  they  have  dedicated  their  lives. 

Being  a  graduate  of  the  Institute,  the  writer  had 
the  privilege  of  listening  to  similar  instruction  from 
Rev.  R.  A.  Torrey,  D.D.,  whom  he  highly  honored  as 
a  teacher,  and  who  has  read  the  proof  sheets  of  this 
book  with  commendation.  The  nature  of  the  theme, 
to  say  nothing  of  the  impression  made  by  such  a 
teacher  on  his  pupil,  may  show  in  this  book  a  cer- 
tain general  similarity  in  manner  of  presentation.  The 
great  indebtedness  of  the  writer  to  Dr.  Torrey  is 
hereby  gratefully  expressed. 

William  Evans. 


CONTENTS. 


Chapter  I. — The  Value  of  Personal  Effoet  in  Soul- 
Winning         13 

Individual   and    church   at   work — Personal   dealing   counts 
most — Examples — Secret  of  growth. 

Chapter  II. — Elements  of  Success  in  Personal  Soul- 
Winning  21 

Tact  —  Contact  —  Ability  —  Value  of  opportunities  —  Funda- 
mental convictions — Faith — Patience. 

Chapter  III. — The    Personal    Worker    Himself — His 

Qualifications 33 

Must   be    a    Christian— Spirit-filled—Prayerful — A    lover    of 
Souls — Confidence  in  God  and  His  Word. 

Chapter  IV. — Instructions  to  the  Soul-Winner    -        -        43 
Who  can  do  it — When,  where — How  it  may  be  done — Open- 
ing  the   case — Bringing   about   decisions — How   to    memorize 
Scripture. 

Chapter  V. — The  Uninterested  and  Unconcerned    -        -        53 
Arousing  interest  in  divine  things— Various  lines  of  appeal: 
Sin,  love,  hope,  fear. 

Chapter  VI.— Those    Who    Are    Interested    and    Con- 
cerned, But  Ignorant  of  the  Way  of  Life        -        -        65 
How  to  become  a  Christian — Repentance — Faith — Confessing 
Christ— Christ's  Kingship. 

Chapter  VII.— Those  Who  Are  Interested  and  Anxious, 

but  Perplexed '^^ 

Too  great  a  sinner— No  feeling — Cannot  find  Christ — Cannot 
give   up   evil— Hurt   my   business— Cannot  forgive   enemies— 
Self-improvement. 

Chapter  VIII.— The  Self-Righteous        ...        -        87 
Who  they  are— How  to  meet  them— What  God  requires— Ex- 
amples of  moral  men. 

Chapter  IX.— The  Backslider P 

The  penitent— God's  willingness— How  to  come  back.     The 
imi>enitent— Sad  condition— Fatal  results. 

9 


10  PER80XAL  SOULWIXXIXa 

Chapter  X. — The  Fearful  and  Despairing  -  -  -  99 
The  case  stated — Fear  of  ridicule — Loss  of  friends — Fear  of 
persecution — How  to  hold  out — Encouraging  promises — Afraid 
will  not  be  received — Tried  before  and  failed — How  to  suc- 
ceed—Sinned away  the  day  of  grace — Unpardonable  sin — Too 
late  to  become  a  Christian. 

Chapter  XL — The  Procrastinator        -        .        .        .  115 

Danger  of  postponing  salvation — Business  first — ^Wait  till  I 
get  older — Expect  to  become  a  Christian  before  I  die — Sudden 
death. 

Chapter  XIL — The  Fault-Fixding 123 

With  God — Unjust  to  condemn  man — Has  not  clearly  revealed 
himself  to  man — The  Bible  foolish,  contradictory  and  im- 
pure— A  mere  human  book — Hypocrites  in  the  church — Chris- 
tians inconsistent — The  Christian  life  too  hard  and  exacting- 
Finding  fault  with  the  plan  of  salvation. 

Chapter  XHL — Those  Who  Are  Misled  by  Erroneous 

Views  of  the  Truth 137 

Roman  Catholic — Unitarian — Universalist — Seventh-Day  Ad- 
ventist — Spiritualist  —  Jew  —  Christian  Scientist  —  Millennial 
Dawnism. 

Chapter  XIV. — The  Obstinate 179 

Don't  talk  to  me — Want  to  have  my  own  way — Have  a  good 
time  in  this  world — Don't  care  for  world  to  come. 

Chapter  XV. — The  Skeptic 185 

Trifling — Cause  of  skepticism — Consequences.  Serious-minded 
— The  way  out — Objections — Doubt  existence  of  God — Future 
retribution — Inspiration  of  the  Bible — Deity  of  Christ. 


THE  VALUE  OF  PERSONAL 

EFFORT  IN  SOUL -WINNING 


CHAPTER  I. 

THE  VALUE  OF  PERSONAL  EFFORT  IN  SOUL- 
WINNING. 

EVERY  Christian  should  consider  it  the  highest 
honor,  and  the  greatest  privilege  to  assist  in 
the  growth  of  the  kingdom  of  God,  by  personal  effort 
in  individual  soul-winning.  He  should  realize,  too,  that 
it  is  not  only  his  privilege  to  thus  work  for  God,  but 
that  a  most  solemn  responsibility  rests  upon  him  to 
do  so.  The  true  Christian,  having  found  Christ  to  be 
precious  to  his  own  soul,  desires,  or  at  once  seeks,  as 
did  Andrew  and  Philip  of  old,  to  get  someone  else 
to  taste  and  see  that  the  Lord  is  good. 

And  what  is  true  of  the  individual  Christian  should 
be  true  of  the  whole  Church.  What  is  the  true  position  / 
of  the  Church  according  to  the  teachings  of  Christ?  ' 
Is  she  not  to  be  the  salt  of  the  earth  and  the  light  of 
the  world?  Should  she  not  be  as  the  woman  seeking 
the  lost  coin,  the  shepherd  seeking  the  straying  sheep, 
and  the  father  on  the  constant  lookout  for  the  way- 
ward son?  That  church,  the  members  of  which  are 
not  interested  in,  and  putting  forth  personal  effort  in 
behalf  of,  a  lost  world,  has  in  truth  forfeited  its  creden- 
tials and  its  right  to  exist.  In  seeking  to  save  its  own 
soul,  it  has  really  lost  it 

An  anonymous  clipping  contains  the  following  sug- 
gestive remarks  along  this  particular  line: 

'''What  man  of  you,  having  an  hundred  sheep,  if 
he  lose  one  of  them,  doth  not  leave  the  ninety  and  nine 
in  the  wilderness,  and  go  after  that  which  is  lost,  until 
he  find  it?'     That  is  to  say,  the  alpha  and  omega  of 

13 


14  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINXTXa 

Christianity  is  sonl-winning,  and  every  letter  between 
the  first  and  last  should  be  permeated  by  the  spirit 
which  seeks  the  lost. 

"It  is  not  enongh  to  be  evangelical.  We  must  be 
evangelistic.  The  evangelical  church  is  a  reservoir  oi 
pure  water  without  a  pipe  running  anywhere.  If  yon 
will  take  the  trouble  to  go  to  it  and  climb  the  embank- 
ment, you  will  get  a  good  drink.  The  evangelistic 
church  is  a  reservoir  of  pnre  water  with  a  pipe  to 
every  heart  in  the  community,  and  every  nation  in  the 
world.  Evangelical  may  mean  truth  on  ice;  evan- 
gelistic means  truth  on  fire.  Evangelical  may  bp 
bomb-proof  for  defense;  evangelistic  means  an  army 
on  the  march  with  every  face  towards  the  enemy.  Evan- 
gelical sings,  ^Hold  the  fort,  for  I  am  coming';  evan- 
gelistic sings,  'Storm  the  fort,  for  God  is  leading.' 
The  need  of  the  Church  is  not  evangelicalism  as  a  thing 
to  fight  for,  but  evangelism  as  a  force  to  fight  with. 
The  evangelical  creed  merely  held  and  defended  be 
comes  a  fossil,  only  a  thing  of  interest. 

^'Several  miles  above  Milton,  Pa.,  when  the  ice  was 
breaking  up,  a  farmer  got  into  one  of  his  boats,  pur- 
posing to  pull  it  out  of  the  river.  A  floating  mass  of 
ice  struck  it,  breaking  it  loose  from  the  bank,  and 
carrying  it  and  him  out  into  the  current.  A  neighbor, 
seeing  the  danger,  mounted  a  horse  and  with  all  speed 
rode  down  to  Milton.  The  people  of  the  town  gathered 
all  the  ropes  they  could  secure,  went  out  on  the  bridge, 
and  suspended  a  line  of  dangling  ro^^es  from  the  bridge 
across  the  river.  They  could  not  tell  at  just  what 
point  the  boat  with  the  farmer  would  pass  under,  so 
they  put  a  rope  down  every  two  or  three  feet  clear 
across.  B^^  and  by  the  farmer  was  seen,  wet  and  cold, 
standing  in  the  boat  half  full  of  water,  drifting  down 
the  rapid  current.  When  he  saw  the  ropes  dangling 
within  reach,  he  seized  the  nearest  one,  was  drawn  up 


TEE  VALL'E  OF  PERi^OXAL  EFFORT        15 

and  saved.  Now,  one  rope  might  not  have  answered 
the  purpose.  The  pastor  hangs  the  rope  of  salvation 
from  the  pulpit,  and  sinners  present  do  not  seem  to 
get  near  it ;  but  if  the  business  men  will  hang  out  ropes, 
and  you  young  men  and  women,  mothers  and  wives, 
hang  out  ropes,  sinners  will  certainly  be  saved." 

Greater  stress  is  here  laid  upon  winning  men  to 
Christ  by  individual  effort  rather  than  upon  any 
other  method  of  accomplishing  the  same  purpose,  re- 
vivals, for  example.  Not  that  we  do  not  believe  in 
revivals,  for  how  can  one  be  a  believer  in  the  Bible 
and  not  believe  in  revivals?  But  personal  soul- win- 
ning is  much  greater  than  revivalism.  Indeed,  is  not 
the  purpose  and  end  of  a  true  revival  to  make  the 
individual  Christian  worker  more  interested  in  souls? 
A  revival  that  does  not  accomplish  this  end  is  not  a 
success.     Both  evangelist  and   pastor  agree  on   this. 

Revivalism  is  fishing  with  a  great  net;  personal  soul- 
winning  is  fishing  with  a  single  hook.  Both  are  right;  /  / 
but  all  Christians  cannot  handle  the  big  net,  while  f 
all  can  use  the  single  hook.  All  Christians  are  to  be 
fishers  of  men.  That  form  of  Christian  activity,  there- 
fore, is  most  important,  which  excludes  none  from 
participation  in  it. 

Much  is  said  today  about  winning  "the  crowds"  for 
Jesus  Christ.  Every  such  effort  is  to  be  encouraged; 
but  we  must  not  forget  that  men  can  enter  into  the 
kingdom  of  God  only  as  individuals.  Religion  em- 
phasizes personality.  In  what  is  a  man  better  than  a 
sheep?  In  this:  that  he  is  a  personality,  and  must 
be  dealt  with  as  such,  personally,  individually.  It 
is  for  this  reason  that  the  intelligent  evangelist  lays 
such  emphasis  upon  a  good  corps  of  personal  workers 
who  shall  deal  with  the  crowds  who  come  forward 
under  the  impulse  of  the  invitation,  individually  and 
personally.     Indeed,  we  do  not  consider  that  converts 


16  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

have  been  dealt  with  properly  until  they  have  been 
dealt  with  personally. 

Religion  emphasizes  personality.  Recently  a  photo- 
graph was  left  in  my  office.  It  was  that  of  a  converted 
convict.  It  had  no  name  on  it,  only  a  number.  Per- 
sonality is  lost  in  jail;  it  is  a  number  that  is  there 
recognized.  It  is  a  number  that  paces  up  and  down  the 
cell,  a  number  that  walks  out  to  work  in  the  yards, 
a  number  that  sits  down  to  eat,  a  number  that  takes 
sick  and  dies,  and  a  number  that  is  buried  in  the  pot- 
ter's field.  Personality,  not  numbers,  counts  in  the 
kingdom  of  God;  the  Church  is  made  up  of  that  in- 
numerable host  which  no  man  can  number,  but  who 
carry  upon  their  foreheads  the  name  of  Him  whose 
they  are  and  whom  they  serve.  All  talk  about  a  social 
salvation,  and  a  sweeping  of  men  into  the  kingdom 
by  crowds,  is  to  be  received  with  some  apprehension, 
to  say  the  least. 

Jesus  Christ  Our  Example. 

Jesus  Christ  won  most,  if  not  all,  of  His  followers 
by  personal  effort.  Do  you  recall  a  single  instance  of 
what  w^e,  in  this  day,  would  call  a  great  revival  taking 
place  during  Christ's  ministry?  He  enlisted  Matthew 
at  the  toll-booth,  and  Peter,  James  and  John  at  their 
nets,  by  personal  invitation  :  ''Come,  follow  me !"  One 
^by  one,  man  by  man;  that  is  how  Christ's  cause  grew. 

What  is  the  great  lesson  taught  in  the  first  chapter 
of  John,  the  chapter  commonly  called  the  "Eureka" 
or  "I  have  found"  chapter?  Is  it  not  that  the  Church 
of  Christ  grew  and  is  to  grow  by  personal  effort? 
Does  not  the  Holy  Spirit  set  forth  at  the  beginning 
of  the  Christian  dispensation  the  divine  method  of 
extending  Christianity,  the  law  of  the  kingdom's 
growth,  namely,  the  finding  of  one  disciple  by  another? 

The  supreme  business  of  the  Christian  is  to  indi- 
vidualize the  Gospel.    No  distinction,  such  as  clergy 


THE  VALUE  OF  PERSOXAL  EFFORT       17 

and  laity,  is  here  recognized.  As  followers  of  Christ 
we  are  all  to  be  personal  soul-winners.  Every  Chris- 
tian layman  is  '^ordained"  to  go  and  bring  forth  fruit, 
and  is  a  ^^minister"  in  so  far  as  every  man  who  has 
received  a  gift — and  every  Christian  has  received  one — 
is  called  upon  to  minister  therewith  (John  15:16; 
1  Peter  4:10,  11). 

The  Apostles'  Example. 

How  personal  soul-winning  is  emphasized  in  the 
Acts  of  the  Apostles!  Pentecost  is  passed  over  with 
comparatively  small  mention ;  but  the  Church  of  Jesus 
Christ  going  out  as  individual  personal  workers — John 
here,  Peter  there,  Philip  yonder,  the  ordinary  Christian 
layman  going  from  house  to  house,  seeking  to  extend 
the  kingdom  of  the  Christ — this  is  given  in  detail,  and 
to  its  narration  is  devoted  much  space. 

The  Testimony  of  Two  Pastors. 

The  church  at  Colosse  began  not  with  a  great  revival 
under  Paul,  but  as  the  result  of  the  faithful  personal 
work  of  one  man,  Epaphras.  The  church  at  Rome  was 
undoubtedly  founded  in  the  same  way.  Pastors  ac- 
knowledge that  the  best  additions  to  their  churches 
are  those  won  to  Christ  by  personal  effort.  Dr. 
Hughes,  recently  chosen  bishop  in  the  Methodist  Epis- 
copal Church,  says,  that  in  a  revival  in  his  church  cov- 
ering two  years,  there  were  48  converts,  11  men  and 
37  women ;  but  that,  as  a  result  of  personal  work  dur- 
ing the  same  period,  there  were  75  converts,  40  men 
and  35  women.  Is  there  not  a  lesson  for  us  to  learn 
from  this  experience,  not  only  as  to  numbers,  but  as 
to  sex?  Here  is  the  solution  of  the  pastor's  problem, 
*'How  to  reach  the  men."  Dr.  J.  O.  Peck  is  reported 
to  have  said,  that  if  he  had  the  certainty  that  he  was  to 
live  only  ten  years,  and  as  a  condition  of  gaining 
heaven  at  the  end  thereof,  he  had  to  win  a  thousan<^ 


18  PERGONAL  SOUL-WINNINa 

or  ten  thousand  souls  for  Christ,  and  he  was  given 
his  choice  of  winning  them  either  by  preaching  sermons 
or  by  individual  efifort,  he  would  choose  the  latter 
method  every  time. 


ELEMENTS  OF  SUCCESS  IN 

PERSONAL  SOUL -WINNING 


CHAPTER  n. 

ELEMENTS  OF  SUCCESS  IN  PERSONAL  SOUL- 
WINNING. 


A 


MONG  the  elements  of  success  in  personal  work 
may  be  mentioned : 


1.    Tact 

''Tact,''  according  to  the  dictionary,  ''is  a  quick  or 
intuitive  appreciation  of  what  is  proper,  fitting  or 
right;  the  mental  ability  of  doing  and  saying  the  right 
thing  at  the  right  time  so  as  not  to  unjustly  offend 
or  anger." 

In  other  words,  tact  is  nothing  more  or  less  than 
skill  and  facility  in  dealing  with  men.  Tact  has  been 
called  the  life  of  the  five  senses :  it  is  the  open  eye,  the 
quick  ear,  the  judging  taste,  the  keen  smell,  the  lively 
touch.  Tact  knows  what  to  do  and  when  and  how 
to  do  it. 

Christ  manifested  great  tact  in  His  reply  to  the  un- 
reasonable question  of  the  Pharisees,  when  He  called 
for  a  coin,  and  in  reply  to  the  captious  question  of 
His  enemies,  said :  "Render  to  Caesar  the  things  which 
are  Caesar's;  and  to  God  the  things  which  are  God's." 

Paul  showed  tact  when,  brought  before  the  tribunal, 
perceiving  that  his  audience  was  divided  on  the  ques- 
tion of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead — the  Pharisees 
believing  it,  and  the  Sadducees  disbelieving  it — he  cried 
out:  ''For  the  hope  of  the  resurrection  of  the  dead 
am  I  called  in  question."  His  tact  won  the  day;  for 
we  read,  that,  immediately  following  this  appeal,  there 
"arose  a  dissension  between  the  Pharisees  and  the  Sad- 
ducees: and  the  multitude  was  divided."     In  writing 

21 


22  PER  SOX  AL  SOUL-WIXXIXG 

to    the    Corinthians,    Paul    says:    ^'Being    craftv,    I 
caught  jou  with  guile.'- 

A  Salvation  Army  lass  was  once  accosted  by  a  young 
dude  whom  she  asked  to  buy  a  War  Cry  for  five  cents. 
"Give  me  ten  cents'  worth  of  prayer,"  said  the  foolish 
youth.  Instantly  the  lassie  knelt  down  before  the 
young  man  and  the  young  ladies  who  were  accompany 
ing  him,  and  prayed  for  the  fellow.  And  so  earnestly 
did  the  lassie  pray  that  that  young  man  sought  her  a 
few  days  later  and  asked  her  to  point  him  to  a  Saviour 
who  could  save  him  from  his  waywardness  and  sin. 
That  young  lassie  had  tact. 

Philip  the  evangelist  had  tact,  and  manifested  it  in 
dealing  w^ith  the  Ethiopian  eunuch  (Acts  8).  Instead 
of  blurting  out,  as  many  Christian  workers  do  today: 
''Are  you  a  Christian?  if  not,  you  are  going  to  hell; 
repent,  or  you  will  be  damned,"  he  approached  him 
with  the  question,  quite  natural  to  a  man  who  was 
engaged  in  reading,  "'Understandest  thou  what  thou 
readest?"  The  result  of  such  tactful  dealing  was  that 
the  eunuch  invited  the  evangelist  to  ride  with  him  and 
explain  to  him  the  way  of  salvation.  Ultimately  the 
man  found  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  and  went  on 
his  way  rejoicing.  Many  an  untactful  man  would  have 
spoiled  that  magnificent  opportunity. 

Fishermen  teach  us  the  value  of  tact  in  their  choice 
and  use  of  various  kinds  of  bait,  and  in  the  different 
methods  pursued  in  catching  difl;erent  kinds  of  fish. 

Tact  supplies  the  lack  of  many  talents;  indeed,  the 
lack  of  it  is  oftentimes  fatal.  A  little  tact  and  wise 
management  very  often  gain  a  point  which  could  be 
gained  in  no  other  way. 

It  is  fortunate  for  the  Christian  worker  that  this 
element  of  success  in  personal  work  is  at  his  command. 
It  comes  from  God  in  answer  to  prayer.  If  a  man 
does  not  have  it  by  nature,  he  may  have  it  by  grace. 


ELEMEXTt^  OF  SUCCESS  23 

God  will  give  it  in  answer  to  prayer.  '^If  any  of  you 
lack  wisdom  [tact],  let  him  ask  of  God,  that  giveth 
to  all  men  [and  women  alike]  liberally,  and  upbraideth 
not;  and  it  shall  be  given  him"  (Jas.  1:5).  Compare 
1  John  2  :29 ;  Acts  13  :9,  10. 

2.    Contact. 

Contact  is  defined  as  the  coming  together  of  two 
bodies  in  space.  It  means,  in  personal  work,  the  com- 
ing into  touch  with  your  man.  Contact  is  button-hoL 
ing,  ^'tackling"  your  man.  A  man  may  have  all  the 
tact  in  the  world,  but  it  will  be  useless  unless  he  gets 
into  contact  with  men.  Contact  is  tact  put  into  prac- 
tice. 

Samson  had  strength  sufficient  to  pull  down  the 
great  temple  of  the  Philistines;  but  it  was  of  no  avail 
until  he  was  put  into  contact  with,  and  his  arms  en- 
closed, the  mighty  pillars  which  supported  the  mas- 
sive temple.  Of  what  use  is  all  our  knowledge  of 
methods,  if  we  do  not  go  after  men  and  deal  with  them 
individually? 

Of  what  use  is  the  sword  if  there  is  no  battle  to  be 
fought,  no  cause  to  be  defended,  no  victory  to  be  won? 
You  may  have  the  finest  fishing  tackle  that  money 
can  buy  in  the  cupboard  in  your  home,  but  it  will  not 
catch  fish  for  you  until  you  bring  it  into  contact  with 
the  fish  in  the  water.  So  a  Christian  worker  may  have 
fine  tackle  for  spiritual  fishing — a  knowledge  of  the 
habits  of  men  and  a  good  knowledge  of  the  various 
Scripture  passages  to  use  in  catching  them — and  yet 
be  utterly  futile  and  useless  as  a  personal  worker  un- 
less he  comes  into  contact  with  men. 

There  are  two  things  to  remember  about  contact : 
first,  we  must  have  contact  with  God ;  second,  we  must 
have  contact  with  men.  We  must  be  heart-foremost 
with  God  if  we  would  be  head-foremost  with  men. 
Jacob  is  a  good  illustration  of  this.    First,  he  wrestled 


4 


24  PERSONAL  SOUL-WnyXIXa 

witli  God,  and  then,  as  a  result,  he  had  power  with 
men.    Witness  his  victory  over  his  brother  Esau. 

3.    Ability. 

Ability  is  defined  as  the  power  of  bringing  things  to 
pass.  Ability  was  characteristic  of  the  life  of  Jesus. 
Again  and  again  do  we  find  the  words,  ''And  it  came 
to  pass." 

(a)  We  need  abilitij  to  read  and  understand  men. 

Jesus  knew  men.  We  are  told  in  John  2 :2i,  25,  that 
''Jesus  knew  all  men  ...  he  knew  what  was  in  man." 
Just  as  the  successful  fisherman  must  understand  the 
habits  of  fish,  so  must  the  successful  personal  worker 
understand  the  ways,  reasonings,  disputings,  and 
methods  of  men.  Different  temperaments  need  to  be 
dealt  with  in  different  ways. 

(h)  We  need  ahility  in  the  handling  of  the  Bible. 

We  should  be  able  to  handle  our  Bibles  and  turn  to 
the  desired  location  as  expertly  as  the  book  agent 
turns  to  his  prospectus  and  the  life  insurance  man 
to  his  book  of  tables. 

Philip  the  evangelist  w^ould  have  lost  a  magnificent 
opportunity  if  he  had  not  been  able  to  find  the  place 
in  the  Scriptures  where  it  is  written.  We  must  be 
experts  in  the  handling  of  the  Word  of  God.  Some- 
times to  hesitate  means  to  lose  the  case  you  are  deal- 
ing with.  See  how  quickly  Jesus  turned  to  just  the 
place  he  wanted  when  he  was  called  upon  to  read  in 
the  synagogue  at  Nazareth  (Luke  4:17)  :  "And  when 
he  had  opened  the  book,  he  found  the  place  where  it 
w^as  written."  Ability  to  find  the  place  where  it  is 
written  inspires  confidence  in  the  inquirer,  whereas 
hesitancy  is  a  barrier  to  effective  dealing.  We  need 
ability  in  handling  the  Bible,  for  three  reasons : 

First:  To  show  men  from  the  Word  of  God  that 
they  are  sinners. 


ELEMENTS  OF  SUCCESS  25 

It  need  hardly  be  said  that  all  men  do  not  concede 
that  they  are  sinners.  In  order  to  convince  them  of 
this  fact,  we  need  words  that  are  divine.  No  words 
of  ours  can  produce  conviction  of  sin:  God's  Word 
alone  can  do  that.  It  is  the  "sword  of  the  Spirit'' 
alone  that  can  prevail  in  such  a  conflict  as  this,  and 
the  sword  of  the  Spirit  is  the  Word  of  God  (Eph. 
6:17). 

Secondly:  To  point  men  who  are  convicted  of  sin 
to  Jesus  Christ,  who  is  the  Sin-bearer. 

This  can  only  be  done  by  directing  the  thought 
of  the  inquirer  to  those  passages  of  Scripture 
which  set  forth  the  death  of  Christ  as  the  propitia- 
tion for  the  sins  of  men.  No  words  of  ours  can  give 
peace  and  assurance  to  souls  that  are  burdened  with 
the  knowledge  and  guilt  of  sin.  God  must  speak  if 
men  are  to  hear  the  words,  '^Go  in  peace;  thy  sins  are 
forgiven  thee." 

Thirdly :  We  must  use  the  Bible  in  order  to  estab- 
lish men  in  the  faith,  and  to  direct  them  to  the  means 
of  growth  in  the  Christian  life. 

It  is  not  enough  that  we  get  men  saved.  We  must 
show  them  how  to  make  a  success  of  the  Christian  life ; 
we  must  show  them  how  to  "grow  in  grace,  and  in  the 
knowledge  of  our  Lord  and  Saviour  Jesus  Christ"  (2 
Peter  3:18). 

(c)    Again,  we  need  abilitij  to  hring  about  decisions. 

Many  Christian  workers  find  themselves  unable  to 
bring  the  inquirer  be^^ond  a  certain  point.  They  can 
bring  the  inquirer  to  acknowledge  his  sinfulness  and 
express  his  desire  to  accept  Christ  as  his  Saviour,  but 
cannot  get  him  to  really  DO  IT;  and  so  the  earnest, 
anxious  inquirer  goes  away  unsaved,  simply  because 
the  personal  worker  did  not  have  the  ability  to  bring 
things  to  a  final  issue.  Anyone  who  has  had  any  ex- 
perience whatever  in  fishing  knows  that  there  is  a 


26  PEliSOXAL  SOUL-WINNIXG 

world  of  difference  in  having  a  fish  nibble  at  your 
hook  and  in  catching  it,  and  landing  it  right  in  the 
boat.  To  have  a  fish  nibble  at  your  hook  is  a  good 
thing;  to  be  able  to  lift  it  out  of  the  water  is  a  better 
thing;  to  land  it  right  in  the  boat  is  the  best  thing  of 
it  all.  So  it  is  in  spiritual  fishing — in  the  catching  of 
men.  It  is  good  to  find  an  inquirer;  it  is  better  to 
be  able  to  show  him  the  way  of  life;  it  is  best  to  be 
able  to  get  him  to  definitely  accept  Christ  as  his  per- 
sonal Saviour. 

Ability,  as  all  the  other  essential  factors  of  success- 
ful soul-winning,  is  something  within  the  reach  of  the 
humblest  child  of  God.  It,  too,  is  a  gift  from  God, 
and  comes  in  answer  to  prayer.  We  are  told  in  1 
Peter  4 .11  that  there  is  such  a  thing  as  *'the  ability 
which  God  giveth."  Then  let  us  ask  God  in  prayer 
to  grant  us  this  power  so  that  we  shall  be  able  to  bring 
things  to  pass  for  Him. 

4.    The  appreciation  of  opportunities.       (Eph.  5:16.) 

An  opportunity  is  defined  as  a  time  with  favoring 
or  propitious  circumstances ;  a  favorable  chance. 

The  personal  worker  must  be  an  opportunist;  he 
must  believe  in  opportunism.  The  buying  up  of  oppor- 
tunities for  Christ  is  not  to  be  understood  as  an  effort 
to  save  hours  which  we  might  be  tempted  to  waste  from 
idleness,  but  the  effort  to  so  control  our  time  that  we 
shall  not  allow  any  selfish  motive,  any  cowardly 
timidity,  to  stand  in  the  way  of  our  doing  good.  The 
Christian  worker  must  emulate  the  merchant  who  is 
quick  to  seize  every  bargain  that  is  passing  before  him. 
As  he  buys  up  goods,  so  we  must  buy  up  opportunities 
for  doing  good,  and  especially  those  opportunities 
which  are  afforded  us  of  speaking  to  men  about  their 
souls. 

Paul  tells  us  to  redeem  the  time.  By  that  he  seems 
to  indicate  that  every  moment  has  its  opportunity  as- 


ELEMEXTH  OF  .SUCCESS  27 

signed  to  it  in  the  way  of  doing  good.  By  doing  duty 
at  the  moment  of  opportunity  we  mal^e  a  purchase  of 
it,  and  thus  not  only  malie  gain  for  good  and  for 
Christ's  kingdom,  but  also  talve  away  that  time  from 
the  evil  one,  and  thus  reduce  the  power  of  his  dominion. 
When  we  let  an  opportunity  to  speak  to  a  soul  go  by 
we  let  Satan  take  the  time  from  us,  and  thus  we  con- 
tract a  debt.  Much  is  said  in  market  circles  of  "get- 
ting a  corner  on  the  market."  Let  us  get  a  corner  on 
time  and  buy  up  every  opportunity  for  Christ. 

Two  or  three  things  may  be  said  in  this  connection: 

(a)  Do  not  force  opportunities. 

Force  is  the  opposite  of  opportunity.  If  you  are  in 
constant  and  continual  communion  with  God,  He  will 
direct  you  in  this  matter.  The  question  may  be  asked, 
"Must  we  not  then  speak  to  people  unless  we  are  moved 
to  do  so?"  Possibly  the  best  answer  to  this  question 
is,  that  if  you  are  in  continual  fellowship  with  God, 
you  will  be  moved  whenever  the  opportunity  is  pre- 
sented to  you. 

Cb)  Then  again,  TFe  slionld  see  to  it  that  we  miss 
no  opportunities. 

As  men  in  the  gold  fields  are  constantly  on  the  look- 
out for  gold  veins,  so  should  the  personal  worker  be  on 
the  lookout  for  souls.  Wherever  we  are,  whatever  we 
may  be  doing,  wherever  we  may  be  going,  we  should  be 
on  the  lookout  for  opportunities  for  personal  dealing. 
Much,  oh,  how  much  depends  upon  the  wise  use  of  the 
opportune  moment !  "There  is  a  season  when  it  is  good 
to  take  occasion  by  the  hand." 

(c)  Finally,  The  icise  use  of  opportunities  implies 
good  planning  of  time. 

Many  of  us  waste  much  time  because  we  have  no 
definite  plan  for  that  time.  Again,  many  opportunities 
are  lost  because  we  do  not  give  the  proper  relative  value 
to  time.    Put  first  things  first,  the  essential  before  the 


28  PER  SOX  AL  SOUL-WINNIXG 

non-essential,  the  primary  before  tlie  secondar3\ 

Two  reasons  are  given  in  the  Scriptures  for  the  wise 
use  of  time  and  opportunities :  First,  because  the  days 
are  few,  because  the  daytime  is  working  time,  and 
the  night  cometh — oh,  how  soon  it  cometh — when  no 
man  can  work.  We  must  work  while  it  is  day  (Gal. 
6:10).  Second,  because  "the  days  are  evil":  that  is  to 
say,  the  times  and  circumstances  of  life  do  not  lend 
themselves  to  such  spiritual  use  of  time.  The  world 
seems  to  be  wholly  occupied  with  the  enjoyment  of  sin 
and  selfish  pleasure.  Such  a  world  is  not  a  great  en- 
couragement to  definite  soul-winning  work  for  God. 

5.    An  absolute  conTiction  of  truth. 

What  is  truth?  The  truth  as  it  is  in  Christ  Jesus — 
the  truth  as  eJesus  taught  it,  and  as  it  is  expressed  in 
the  Bible.  The  truth  regarding  man,  his  lost  con- 
dition, and  his  salvability ;  the  truth  regarding  the  re- 
demptive work  of  Jesus  Christ  and  the  possibilities  of 
fallen  man  because  of  it;  the  truth  regarding  the 
future:  that  whosoever  believeth  shall  be  saved,  and 
whosoever  believeth  not  shall  be  condemned. 

Doubt  and  indecision  in  the  worker  beget  doubt  and 
indecision  in  the  inquirer.  If  you  are  not  sure  that 
men  are  lost,  then  there  is  not  much  use  in  your  trying 
to  save  them.  If  there  is  no  wreck,  there  is  no  use 
in  putting  out  the  lifeboat.  If  there  is  no  one  drown- 
ing, what  is  the  use  of  throwing  out  the  lifeline?  If 
your  neighbor's  house  is  not  on  fire,  what  is  the  use 
of  going  to  his  house  in  the  dark  of  the  night,  and 
arousing  him  and  his  family,  and  warning  him  of  the 
danger?  But  if  there  is  a  shipwreck,  if  there  is  a  man 
overboard,  if  your  neighbor's  house  is  on  fire,  then 
quickly  and  earnestly  man  the  lifeboat,  throw  out  the 
lifeline,  give  your  neighbor  w^arning.  The  personal 
worker  must  be  fully  assured  of  some  things;  and 
these  are  some  of  the  things :  that  all  men  are  sinners, 


ELEME^T^  OF  ^VCCEB^  29 

and  as  suck  will  be  lost,  unless  Jesus  save  them ;  that 
Jesus  died  to  save  them,  and  b}^  faith  in  Him,  and  that 
alone,  they  can  be  saved;  that  outside  of  the  redemp- 
tion that  is  in  Christ  Jesus  all  men  are  lost;  that  in 
Him  men  are  saved.  These  are  some  of  the  truths 
concerning  which  the  personal  worker  must  not  be  in 
doubt  if  he  is  to  be  successful  in  winning  men  for 
Christ. 

6.  A  faith  that  never  despairs. 

We  must  be  able  to  see  the  germ  of  the  saint  in  the 
chief  of  sinners,  the  fairest  flower  in  Christ's  garden 
in  the  outcast  woman  of  the  street.  We  must  believe, 
as  the  genealogies  of  Jesus  teach  us,  that  Jesus  came 
through  all  sorts  of  people  in  order  that  He  might 
save  all  sorts  of  people.  We  must  see  all  men,  not  as 
they  are  in  themselves,  but  as  they  may  be  in  the  light 
of  the  cross  of  Christ.  This  is  what  Paul  meant  when 
he  said  he  was  determined  to  know  no  man  after  the 
flesh  *  *  *  If  any  man  was  in  Christ  Jesus,  he  was 
(or  became)  a  new  creature.  (2  Cor.  5:17.)  We  are 
told  that  a  very  beautiful  face  of  the  Christ  was  once 
painted  on  a  very  soiled  linen  handkerchief.  So  can 
the  image  of  Christ  be  painted  upon  the  worst  of  men. 
Such  men  as  John  B.  Gough  and  John  G.  Woolley,  the 
gutter  drunkards,  and  Jerry  McAuley,  the  river  pirate, 
may,  yea,  have  become  the  great  temperance  orators, 
the  successful  mission  workers.  We  must  believe  in 
a  gospel  of  hope — not  too  quick  to  believe  that  there 
is  such  a  thing  as  being  past  redemption  point  in  the 
matter  of  salvation.  "Is  anything  too  hard  for  the 
Lord?"  (Gen.  18:14) — this  must  be  the  watchword  of 
the  successful  personal  worker.  We  are  to  ^'despair 
of  no  man"  (Luke  G  :35,  R.  Y.,  margin). 

7.  Infinite  patience. 

The  personal  worker  must  be  able  to  endure  the  "con- 
tradiction of  sinners  against  themselves,"  the  senseless 


30  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXXING 

arguments  of  those  who  oppose  themselves,  the  treach- 
ery and  deceit  of  those  who  follow  Christ  for  ^'the 
loaves  and  fishes.-'  He  will  deal  patiently  with  men 
who  are  weak  and  who  backslide  easily.  He  will  be 
called  upon  to  lift  them  up  after  they  have  fallen  more 
than  once  or  twice.  Judson,  in  Burmah,  unable  to 
tell  of  conversions  in  his  first  report,  said :  "Permit 
us  to  labor  in  obscurity  for  twenty  years,  and  you  shall 
hear  from  us  again."  And  he  was  heard  from. 
8.    A  deep  sense  of  responsihility. 

Every  personal  worker  ought  to  read  often  the  third 
and  thirty-third  chapters  of  Ezekiel.  Possibly  no 
part  of  the  whole  Bible  sets  forth  the  responsibility 
of  one  man  for  another  as  do  these  chapters.  It  may 
not  be  our  responsibility  to  bring  every  individual  to 
Christ;  but  it  is  our  responsibility  to  see  that  Christ 
is  brought  to  every  individual.  Every  man  may  not 
want  Christ;  but  Christ  wants  every  man,  and  it  is  our 
business  to  let  every  man  know  that  Christ  wants  him. 
God  has  appointed  me  ''my  brother's  keeper,"  whether 
I  will  it  or  not.  ''When  I  say  unto  the  wicked,  O 
wicked  man,  thou  shalt  surely  die;  if  thou  dost  not 
speak  to  warn  the  wicked  from  his  w^ay,  that  wicked 
man  shall  die  in  his  iniquity:  but  his  blood  w^ill  I  re- 
quire at  thine  hand.  Nevertheless,  if  thou  warn  the 
wicked  of  his  way  to  turn  from  it:  if  he  do  not  turn 
from  his  way,  he  shall  die  in  his  iniquity,  but  thou 
hast  delivered  thy  soul"  (Ezek.  33:8,  9). 

Daniel  Webster  was  once  asked  what  was  the  most 
solemn  thought  he  had  ever  entertained.  In  reply,  he 
said :  "My  personal  responsibility  to  God."  Can  there 
be  any  more  solemn  thought  than  this  for  a  Christian 
worker  ? 


THE  PERSONAL  WOEKER  HIM- 
SELF—HIS QUALIFICATIONS 


CHAPTER  m. 

THE     PERSONAL     WORKER     HIMSELF  —  HIS 
QUALIFICATIONS. 

1.  He  must  he  a  thorongli  Christian. 

THE  first  step  in  bringing  other  men  to  Christ  is  to 
know  the  way  to  Him  yourself.  In  Luke  22 :32, 
Jesus  says  to  Peter:  ^'And  when  thou  art  converted, 
strengthen  thy  brethren."  Peter  himself  must  first  be 
right  with  God  before  he  can  bring  others  into  a  right 
relationship  with  God. 

Although  God  has  in  the  past,  and  still  does  at  pres- 
ent, allow  even  ungodly  people  to  speak  the  word  of 
life  to  perishing  souls,  as  for  example,  unconverted 
ministers, — thereby  making  even  the  wrath  of  men  to 
praise  Him, — yet  such  cases  are  merely  exceptions  to 
the  rule.  Generally,  one  must  be  a  thorough  Christian 
himself  before  he  can  be  instrumental  in  leading 
anxious  souls  to  a  seeking  Saviour.  ^'First  cast  out  the 
beam  out  of  thine  own  eye;  and  then  shalt  thou  see 
clearly  to  cast  out  the  mote  out  of  thy  brother's 
eye"    (Matt.  7:5). 

2.  He  must  be  a  Spirit-filled  man. 

The  Spirit  of  God  must  have  control  of  his  affections. 
He  must  live,  move  and  have  being  in  the  Spirit.  He 
must  trust  Him  for  guidance  and  direction. 

Philip  the  evangelist  is  a  good  illustration  of  this 
thought.  In  Acts  8 :29  we  find  these  words :  "Then  the 
Spirit  said  unto  Philip,  Go  near,  and  join  thyself  to 
this  chariot."  Philip  was  obedient  to  the  promptings 
of  the  Spirit,  and  in  the  30th  verse  we  read    "And 

33 


34  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Philip  ran  thither  to  him."  He  might  have  said  what 
Moses  did, — "Lord,  send  someone  else."  "Lord,  I  can- 
not speak  to  this  stranger.  I  have  never  had  an  intro- 
duction to  him.  He  may  not  care  for  my  company." 
Some  of  us  would  have  said  that;  but  Philip  was  obe- 
dient to  the  promptings  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  did  just 
what  the  Spirit  commanded  him  to  do,  asking  no  ques- 
tions. The  Bible  says,  "Philip  ran  to  him,"  indicating 
his  swift  obedience. 

Are  you  willing  to  speak  to  those  around  you  about 
their  soul's  eternal  welfare? — to  those  who  sit  at  the 
same  table  with  you,  and  who  abide  under  the  same 
roof  with  you?  Mother,  father,  has  the  Spirit  never 
said  to  you :  "Go  join  thyself  to  your  child,  and  teach 
him  or  her  the  way  of  salvation?"  Yes,  but  you  have 
not  obeyed.  Knowest  thou  the  awful  responsibility 
resting  upon  thee?    Read  Ezekiel  3:17-19. 

Listen !  hark  I  they  are  calling  the  roll  in  heaven. 
Mother,  where  is  your  child?  Father,  where  are  your 
children?  Young  man,  young  woman,  where  are  your 
friends?  ''While  you  are  busy  here  and  there,  they 
are  gone."  While  you  are  busy  seeking  after  the 
things  of  earth,  your  children  have  slipped  between 
your  fingers,  you  have  no  more  spiritual  influence  over 
them ;  they  are  lost !    Read  1  Kings  20 :39,40. 

3.    He  must  be  a  man  of  prayer. 

It  was  while  Peter  was  praying  that  he  received  the 
prompting  of  the  Spirit  to  go  to  Cornelius  and  tell  him 
what  to  do  to  be  saved.  "I  was  in  the  city  of  Joppa 
praying:  and  in  a  trance  I  saw  a  vision,  A  certain 
vessel  descend,  as  it  had  been  a  great  sheet,  let  down 
from  heaven  by  four  corners;  and  it  came  even  to 

me And  the  Spirit  bade  me  go  with  them, 

nothing  doubting.  Moreover  these  six  brethren  accom- 
panied me,  and  we  entered  into  the  man's  house"  (Acts 
11:5.12.) 


TEE  PERSONAL  WORKER  HIMSELF        35 

(a)  We  must  pray  tJiat  God  icill  lead  us  to  the  right 
person, 

I  do  not  think  it  is  necessary  for  us,  nor  do  I  think 
God  expects  us,  to  speak  to  every  person  we  see  about 
his  soul's  salvation.  We  have  not  the  time  for  that. 
I  do  believe,  however,  that,  as  the  Spirit  led  Philip  to 
go  and  join  himself  to  a  certain  (this)  chariot,  so  the 
Spirit  of  God  will  give  us,  in  answer  to  prayer,  the 
inward  prompting,  so  that  we  may  know  when  to  speak 
and  to  whom. 

(h)  We  must  pray  also  that  Ood  mil  enable  us  to 
speak  the  right  words. 

We  must  ask  Him  to  give  the  Word  power;  for  we 
must  not  forget,  that  though  Paul  may  plant  and  Apol- 
los  water,  yet  it  is  God  that  must  give  the  increase 
(1  Cor.  3:6). 

(c)  Then  we  must  pray  that  God  tcill  continue  the 
work  already  begun  in  the  heart  of  the  person  with 
i^iiom  we  have  spoken. 

And  right  here  we  may  learn  from  the  Apostle  Paul, 
who  never  forgot  to  remember  his  converts  in  prayer 
after  he  had  left  them  (Eph.  1:16-20;  Phil.  1:4.  5;  Col. 
1:3,4). 

4.    He  must  haye  a  desire  to  see  souls  sayed. 

The  secret  of  success  is  here.  Christ  had  a  burning 
love  for  souls.  Listen  to  Him  as  He  stands  on  the 
mount  overlooking  the  Holy  City,  and  saying :  "O  Jeru- 
salem, Jerusalem,  thou  that  killest  the  prophets,  and 
stonest  them  which  are.  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as 
a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens  under  her  wings,  and  ye 
would  not"  (Matt.  23:37).  "And  when  he  was  come 
near,  he  beheld  the  city,  and  wept  over  it"  (Luke 
19:41). 


v^.. 


^/  (^' 


36  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Have  you  ever  wept  over  souls?  ^^Xo,"  you  say;  ^^I 
have  never  felt  the  burden  of  souls  heavy  enough  for 
that;  how  may  I  feel  the  weight  of  souls?"  Consider 
the  value  of  a  soul ;  what  it  cost ;  what  a  sacrifice  was 
made  to  redeem  it ;  its  capabilities ;  its  eternal  destiny 
to  glory  or  despair;  that  you  are  in  a  very  real  sense 
your  brother's  keeper,  and  then  ask  God  to  make  you 
feel  the  mighty  importance  of  trying  to  rescue  some 
perishing  soul  as  a  brand  plucked  from  the  burning. 

Paul  had  a  passionate  love  for  souls.  He  says:  ^'I 
have  great  heaviness  and  continual  sorrow  in  my  heart. 
For  I  could  wish  that  myself  were  accursed  (or 
separated)  from  Christ  for  my  brethren,  my  kinsmen 
according  to  the  flesh"  (Rom.  9:2,3).  The  Apostle 
Paul's  heart  broke  loose  from  the  prolonged  logical 
argument  and  poured  itself  out  in  one  vehement  ex- 
clamation of  love,  ''I  could  wish  myself  accursed  for 
my  brethren's  sake," — "accursed,"  given  over  to  hope- 
less, eternal  death;  accursed  "from  Christ,"  the  joy, 
the  joy  of  his  soul ;  "accursed,"  he  the  loyal  one,  from 
his  all  in  all,  if  only  the  Israel  of  his  love  could  be 
saved ! 

A  man  may  be  a  successful  physician  without  having 
love  for  his  patients;  he  may  be  a  successful  lawyer 
without  having  love  for  his  clients;  he  may  be  a  suc- 
cessful merchant  without  having  love  for  his  patrons : 
but  no  man  can  be  a  successful  co-worker  with  God 
without  having  love  for  souls,  and  a  longing  desire  to 
see  them  saved. 

When  John  Knox,  in  the  enclosure  behind  his  house, 
pierced  the  stillness  of  the  night  with  the  thrice-re- 
peated, intense  appeal,  "Give  me  Scotland,  or  I  die!" 
that  eager,  yearning,  well-nigh  broken  heart  got  its 
Scotland.  When  Brainerd  went  to  sleep  thinking  of 
souls  and  dreaming  dreams  of  them,  and,  waking,  still 
thought  and  prayed  for  them,  souls  became  his.    "Tell 


THE  PERSONAL  WORKER  HIMSELF        37 

me,"  says  Maclaren,  ^'the  depth  of  a  Christian  man's 
compassion,  and  I  will  tell  you  the  measure  of  his  use- 
fulness. The  wealth  of  Egypt's  harvest  is  propor- 
tioned to  the  depth  of  the  Nile's  overflow."  Christ, 
the  model  Christian  worker,  is  portrayed  as  ^'moved 
with  compassion,"  as  though  a  great  surging  tide 
flowed  over  his  heart  when  he  saw  the  multitudes 
standing  before  him  in  their  want. 

The  power  of  these  great  religious  leaders  of  all 
time,  lay  deeper  than  their  mighty  intellects — it  lay 
in  their  love  for  souls. 

Souls,  souls,  souls!  I  yearn  for  souls.  This  is  the 
cry  of  the  Saviour — and  to  save  souls  He  died  upon 
the  cross,  and  remains  until  eternity  their  intercessor. 

Souls,  souls,  souls  I  This  is  the  cry  of  Satan — 
and  to  obtain  them  he  scatters  gold  to  tempt  them,  mul- 
tiplies their  wants  and  pleasures,  and  gives  them  praise 
that  only  infatuates. 

Souls,  souls,  souls!  This  must  be  our  one  cry 
and  passion.  Christian  worker;  and  for  the  sake  of 
one  soul  we  must  be  willing  to  spend  and  be  spent. 

5.   He  must  have  confidence  in  the  power  of,  and  in,  the  Word 
of  God. 

We  do  well  to  heed  the  Lord's  rebuke  to  Sarah  in 
Gen.  18:14,  "Is  any  thing  too  hard  for  the  Lord?"  Ko 
matter  how  desperate  the  case  may  be,  God  can  save 
to  the  uttermost.  If  the  person  you  are  seeking  to 
lead  to  Christ  be  the  "chief  of  sinners,"  1  Tim.  1;15 
will  suit  him : 

This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief. 

If  he  be  a  murderer,  Isa.  1 :18  will  comfort  him : 

Come  now,  and  let  us  reason  together,  saith  the  Lord: 
though  your  sins  be  as  scarlet,  they  shall  be  as  white  as 
snow ;  though  they  be  red  like  crimson,  they  shall  be 
as   wool. 


38  PERSONAL  .WUL-WINXIXG 

If  an  outcast,  Luke  19:10  is  just  the  passage  he 
needs : 

For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost. 

Let  us  take  for  our  motto,  when  we  are  tempted  to 
be  discouraged  because  of  the  seeming  indifference  and 
hardness  of  those  we  are  seeking  to  lead  to  Christ,  the 
following  passages  of  Scripture: 

Matt.  19:25,  26: 

When  his  disciples  heard  it,  they  were  exceedingly 
amazed,  saying,  Who  then  can  be  saved?  But  Jesus 
beheld  them,  and  said  unto  them,  With  men  this  is  im- 
possible ;  but  with  God  all  things  are  possible. 

Job  42 :1,  2 : 

Then  Job  answered  the  Lord,  and  said, 
I    know    that    thou   canst   do   everything,    and   that    no 
thought  can  be  withholden   from   thee. 

Isaiah  55 :10, 11 : 

For  as  the  rain  cometh  down,  and  the  snow  from 
heaven,  and  returneth  not  thither,  but  watereth  the 
earth,  and  maketh  it  bring  forth  and  bud,  that  it  may 
give  seed   to  the  sower,   and   bread  to   the  eater : 

So  shall  my  word  be  that  goeth  forth  out  of  my  mouth  : 
it  shall  not  return  unto  me  void,  but  it  shall  accom- 
plish that  which  I  please,  and  it  shall  prosper  in  the 
thing  whereto  I   sent  it. 

Fourteen  hundred  years  before  the  birth  of  Jesus, 
Baalam,  by  special  inspiration,  addressed  Balak  with 
these  profound  words:  "God  is  not  a  man  that  he 
should  lie;  neither  the  son  of  man,  that  he  should 
repent:  hath  he  said,  and  shall  he  not  do  it?  or  hath 
he  spoken,  and  shall  he  not  make  it  good?"  (Num. 
23:19.) 

Paul  the  apostle,  fifteen  hundred  years  after  Baalam, 
echoes  the  same  testimony:  "In  hope  of  eternal  life, 
which  God,  that  cannot  lie,  promised  before  the  world 
began"  (Titus  1:2).  Let  us  trust  confidently  in  the 
Word  and  promises  of  God. 


THE  PERSOXAL  WORKER  HIMSELF        39 

An  illustration  will  show  more  plainly  what  I  mean : 
A  Christian  worker  once  met  a  man  who  was  hardened 
in  sin  and  skepticism.  After  speaking  to  him  about 
becoming  a  Christian,  he  said:  ''I  do  not  believe 
in  the  Bible,  or  in  God,  or  in  heaven  or  hell.  I  am  a 
skeptic."  The  worker  took  no  notice  of  the  man's 
confession,  but  quoted  to  him  this  passage :  ''Except  ye 
repent,  ye  shall  all  likewise  perish"  (Luke  13:3).  ''But," 
he  said  again,  "did  I  not  tell  you  I  did  not  believe  in 
the  Bible?  why  do  you  quote  it  to  me?"  The  Christian 
again  quoted  the  same  verse,  and  again  the  skeptic 
gave  the  same  reply.  After  repeating  that  same  verse, 
adding  no  words  of  his  own  to  it,  about  a  dozen  times, 
the  worker  said  to  him,  "Now,  my  friend,  I  do  not 
remember  half  of  what  you  have  said  to  me;  but  you 
cannot  forget  the  passage  of  Scripture  I  have  quoted 
to  you,  and  I  am  going  to  pray  that  God  will,  through 
that  passage  of  Scripture,  and  His  Holy  Spirit,  cause 
you  to  realize  its  truth."  "But,"  he  continued,  "I  do 
not  believe  it."  Then  was  quoted  Romans  3 :3,  4 :  "For 
what  if  some  did  not  believe?  shall  their  unbelief  make 
the  faith  of  God  without  effect?  God  forbid,"  etc. 
The  Christian  then  left  the  skeptic  in  the  hands  of 
God. 

The  next  night  the  skeptic  sought  him  and  confessed 
that  he  had  spent  a  miserable  night.  He  said:  "That 
verse  you  quoted  so  often  has  haunted  me  ever  since ;  it 
Avill  not  leave  my  memory.  Won't  you  show  me  how  to 
find  rest  for  my  soul?"  What  a  joy  it  was  to  point  him 
to  John  1:29,  leave  him  in  Acts  13:52,  and  commend 
him  to  Jude  21.  Thus,  you  see,  God  will  honor  His  own 
Word, 


INSTRUCTIONS  TO 

THE  SOUL-WINNER 


CHAPTER  IV. 

INSTRUCTIONS   TO   THE   SOUL  -  WINNER. 

1.  Who  can  engage  in  this  work  of  personal  soul- winning? 

FORTUNATELY,  no  Christian,  however  insignifi- 
cant he  may  feel  himself  to  be,  or  however  limited 
his  talents,  is  shut  out  from  the  opportunity  of  soul- 
winning.  Inasmuch  as  God  holds  all  Christians  re- 
sponsible for  this  work,  it  must  be  possible  for  all  to 
do  it.  Aquila  and  Priscilla  (Acts  18:26-28)  are  good 
illustrations  of  the  opportunities  that  are  afforded 
every  individual  Christian.  Philip  (Acts  8)  and  Paul 
(Acts  20:31)  show  us  how  preachers  may  engage  in 
this  work.  2  Kings  5  :l-5  tells  of  a  housemaid  doing 
this  kind  of  work.  It  is  said  that  Lord  Shaftesbury 
was  led  to  Christ  through  one  of  his  housemaids.    John 

1  gives  a  picture  of  a  teacher  leading  his  j^upil  (v.  29)  ; 
a  brother,  his  brother  (vs.  40,  41)  ;  and  a  friend,  his 
friend  (vs.  43-4.5)  to  Christ  as  the  Saviour  of  the  world. 

2  Timothy  1 :5  and  3 :15  afford  us  a  splendid  example 
for  parents  to  lead  their  children  to  Christ. 

Every  Christian  should  be  a  personal  worker  for 
Christ  just  as  every  sinner  is  a  worker  for  Satan.  No 
one  is  excluded  from  this  great  work. 

2,  Where  may  personal  soul- winning  be  done? 

Is  there  any  place  in  which  it  cannot  be  done?  is  a 
more  fitting  way  to  put  it.  Jesus  did  it  in  the  temple, 
in  the  streets,  on  the  seaside,  in  a  boat,  on  the  moun- 
tain-side, and  in  the  house. 

Mr.  Moody,  who  was  perhaps  the  greatest  personal 
soul-winner  of  his  day,  made  it  a  practice  of  his  life 

43 


44  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

to  speak  to  men  on  the  street-cars.  In  thus  dealing 
with  a  man  in  a  Detroit  street-car,  he  asked  him  the 
question:  ^'Are  you  a  Christian?"  The  man  answered: 
''No,  sir;  but  I  wish  I  were."  Mr.  Moody  there  and 
then  led  the  man  to  Christ. 

According  to  Oriental  thought  and  custom,  one  with 
whom  you  break  bread,  or  with  whom  you  sit  at  meat 
js,  by  that  very  fact,  in  covenant  with  you,  and  you 
have  sacred  duties  toward  him  which  must  not  be 
shirked  or  avoided.  Has  not  the  Christian  similar 
relations  under  similar  circumstances?  Yet  how  often, 
yea,  rather  how  seldom,  if  at  all,  do  we  realize  these 
privileges  and  responsibilities !  We  talk  to  friends  on 
other  topics,  such  as  politics,  and  the  weather:  w^hy 
not  speak  to  them  of  Christ? 

Governments  have  two  ways  of  saving  life:  the  life- 
saving  station  and  the  lighthouse.  The  rescue  mission 
is  the  life-saving  station  and  crew;  but  the  ship  must 
be  on  the  rocks,  or  the  man  be  in  the  water,  before 
this  agency  can  render  help.  The  Sunday-school  is  a 
lighthouse;  it  warns  the  ship  before  it  gets  onto  the 
rocks.  What  an  opportunity  both  the  rescue  mission 
and  the  Sunday-school  worker  have  to  do  personal  soul- 
winning  work!  Yet  how  incomparably  greater  is  the 
opportunity  of  the  Sunday-school  teacher.  Jesus  put 
a  little  child  in  the  midst,  and  he  has  been  in  the 
midst,  the  center  of  attraction,  ever  since;  the  world 
revolves  around  the  little  child.  It  is  said  that  on  nine- 
teen different  occasions  Jesus  sat  down  and  taught  one 
scholar. 

The  close  of  the  regular  church  service  affords  a 
splendid  opportunity  for  speaking  to  souls.  Already 
hearts  have  in  all  probability  been  touched  by  the 
preached  word,  and  may  be  longing  to  have  someone 
deal  definitely  with  them,  and  point  them  individually 
to  Jesus  Christ.  It  was  at  the  close  of  a  great  service 
that  Philip  won  his  convert  (Acts  8:37,  38). 


INSTRUCTIONS  45 

If  you  want  a  field  of  labor, 
You  can  find  one  anywhere. 

S.    How  personal  soul-winumg  work  may  be  done. 

By  the  use  of  the  mails.  Write  letters.  Here  is  a 
vast  and  almost  unemployed  agency  for  the  advance- 
ment of  the  kingdom  of  God.  Dedicate  your  pen  to 
the  work  of  postal  evangelism.  A  Christian  Japanese 
telegraphed  to  his  brother  to  come  home  because  of 
important  business.  The  brother  came.  He  found 
out  that  the  ''important  business"  was  in  the  nature 
of  a  great  revival  that  was  then  in  progress  in  Tokyo. 
After  some  hesitancy  he  decided  to  stay  at  home  and 
attend  the  meetings.  On  the  last  night  of  the  meetings 
he  was  converted. 

Nothing,  however,  takes  the  place  of  the  personal 
heart-to-heart,  face-to-face  talk.  This  can  be  had  in 
the  shop,  office,  store,  hall,  church,  on  the  street,  in  the 
home.  Make  it  your  business  to  talk  with  your  friends 
about  Christ. 

Tracts  may  he  effectively  used.  One  day  a  man  rid- 
ing on  a  street-car  in  New  York  was  handed  a  tract 
which  read,  "Look  to  Jesus  when  tempted,  troubled, 
or  dying!"  The  man  read  the  tract  carefully.  As  the 
car  reached  its  destination  and  the  passengers  were 
getting  off,  he  who  received  the  tract  said  to  the  man 
who  gave  it  to  him :  "Sir,  when  you  gave  me  this  tract, 
I  was  on  my  way  down  to  the  river  to  drown  myself. 
My  wife  and  son  have  both  died,  and  there  is  nothing 
for  me  to  live  for.  God  bless  you  for  giving  me  this 
encouraging  message."  Seventeen  hundred  people  are 
said  to  have  written  to  Dr.  Chickering,  the  author  of 
the  tract,  "What  is  it  to  believe  on  Christ?"  stating 
that  they  were  led  to  Christ  by  the  use  of  this 
leaflet.  Many  people  who  may  feel  themselves  too 
timid  to  speak  a  word  for  Christ,  may  be  thus  able  to 
give  the  word  in  this  manner. 


46  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

If  you  have  a  tract  in  your  possession — and,  by  the 
way,  all  Christians  should  carry  a  supply  of  evangelis- 
tic  literature  with  them  ready  for  such  use — you  may 
give  it.  Let  your  friend  read  the  tract,  and  then  ask 
him  what  he  thinks  of  it. 

How  TO  Begin. 

HotD  to  hegin  a  conversation  along  personal  soul- 
winning  lines  is  not  always  easily  determined.  A  sug- 
gestion or  two  in  this  direction  may  not  be  out  of  place. 

Generally,  men  should  deal  with  men,  and  women 
with  women;  the  young  with  the  young,  and  the  old 
icith  the  old.  This  rule  applies  particularly  to  adults, 
and  not  to  adults  dealing  with  children.  Unless  it  is 
absolutely  necessary,  this  rule  should  not  be  broken. 
-  Avoid  introducing  your  subject  hy  an  ahrupt  ques- 
tion. Lead  naturally  up  to  the  question  of  the  inquirer 
becoming  a  Christian.  Jesus,  in  his  dealing  with  the 
Samaritan  woman  (John  4),  and  Philip  (Acts  8)  are 
good  examples  to  follow.  To  begin  by  asking  at  once : 
''Are  you  a  Christian?"  or  ''Are  you  saved?"  or  some 
such  question  may,  in  exceptional  cases,  be  effective, 
but  usually  such  an  approach  antagonizes.  It  is  bet- 
ter, especially  if  you  have  time  enough  to  do  it,  to 
begin  on  some  other  topic  and  gradually  lead  up  to 
the  question  of  the  acceptance  of  Christ.  Philip  asked^ 
"Understandest  thou  what  thou  readest?"  (Acts  8:30). 
Christ  spoke  to  the  Samaritan  woman  on  the  general 
subject  of  water  to  begin  with  (John  4:7). 

If  you  should  be  dealing  with  the  inquirer  at  the 
close  of  a  sermon  or  service,  you  may  introduce  your 
subject  by  asking  him  how  he  liked  the  sermon,  etc. 

Get  the  inquirer  alone,  and  do  not  allow  yourself, 
if  you  can  prevent  it,  to  he  interrupted.  The  presence 
of  a  third  person  is  usually  fatal  to  the  effectiveness  of 
personal  work  with  souls.    Often  an  inquirer  who  has 


INSTRUCTIONS  47 

been  opening  his  heart  to  the  worker  has  closed  it  at 
once  as  a  third  person  has  appeared.    As  a  general 
rule,  no  one  is  convinced  in  the  presence  of  a  crowd; 
certainly  no  man  will  unbosom  himself  to  a  spiritual  i 
adviser  in  the  presence  of  others. 

To  be  interrupted  while  dealing  with  an  inquirer  is 
ofttimes  disastrous.  Some  well-meaning  but  poorly 
instructed  people  seem  to  find  delight  in  seeking  to 
encourage  the  inquirer  and  the  worker  by  saying :  ''Oh, 
yes,  my  friend,  what  the  worker  is  saying  is  true;  do 
believe  it;  we  are  praying  for  you/'  or  some  such 
words.  To  do  this  may  be  fatal.  The  worker  may  have 
been  dealing  with  the  inquirer  along  a  certain  line  of 
thought  until  he  is  at  the  point  of  yielding.  For  some 
one  not  acquainted  with  this  method  to  come  and  igno- 
rantly  interrupt  the  conversation  may  be  to  neutralize 
all  that  the  worker  has  thus  far  done.  Do  not  interrupt^ 
others ;  do  not  allow  others  to  interrupt  you. 

Aim  to  'bring  ahoiit  a  decision  as  soon  as  you  can. 
Get  the  inquirer  on  his  knees  at  the  earliest  possible 
moment.  This  posture  of  the  body  has  much  more  to 
do  with  the  element  of  submission  on  the  part  of  the 
will  than  we  think.  As  a  rule,  the  bended  knee  is  the 
end  of  all  argument. 

Emphasize  the  immediate  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ 
as  personal  Saviour.  Do  not  be  content  until  the  in- 
quirer has  definitely  settled  his  personal  relationship 
to  Jesus  Christ.  As  many  as  receive  Him  become  chil- 
dren of  God.  To  receive  Christ  as  personal  Saviour 
is  the  all-important  thing.  It  is  not  enough  to  answer 
the  inquirer's  questions,  to  dissolve  his  doubts,  or  to 
enlighten  his  ignorance.  All  this  the  worker  may  do 
and  still  leave  the  man  unsaved.  To  leave  the  inquirer 
with  the  question  of  the  acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as 
his  personal  Saviour  settled — this  is  the  aim  and  end 
of  all  personal  dealing. 


48  PERSONAL  80ULAVINNING 

Do  not  enter  into  a  heated  argument.  Men  are  not 
usually  convinced  by  this  method  of  dealing.  ^'The 
servant  of  the  Lord  must  not  strive''  (2  Tim.  2:23,  24). 
Hold  yourself  well  in  hand.  Keep  your  poise ;  control 
yourself;  do  not  lose  your  temper;  be  courteous  at  all 
times  and  under  all  circumstances.  Remember  Jesus 
Christ — how  graciously  He  received  the  contradiction 
of  sinners.  When  He  was  reviled,  He  reviled  not 
again.    Do  thou  likewise. 

Be  courageous.  Do  not  fear  the  face  of  man.  Re- 
member that  in  spiritual  matters  the  Christian  worker 
possesses  the  confidence  that  comes  from  a  settled  con- 
viction of  a  right  relation  to  God.  The  sinner  does  not 
possess  this,  and  consequently  does  not  have  the  cour- 
a^e  that  issues  from  it.  The  sinner  is  the  fearful  one ; 
the  Christian  is  bold  and  courageous.  Some  Christians, 
however,  are  naturally  timid,  and,  therefore,  find  it  an 
almost  impossible  task  to  approach  people  m  this  way. 
We  would  recommend  to  such  for  their  considera- 
tion the  case  of  Peter  and  his  timidity  (or  cowardice) 
before  Pentecost  (Mark  14:66-72),  and  Peter  and  his 
courage  after  Pentecost  (Acts  2:14).  We  would  also 
suggest  that  the  prayer  of  the  early  Christians  for 
courage  be  pondered  and  appropriated  (Acts  4:23-31). 
f  Get  the  inquirer  to  read  for  himself  the  verses  you 
use  in  dealing  icith  him.  It  makes  a  much  deeper  im- 
pression upon  his  mind  if  he  sees  and  reads  the  Scrip- 
tures for  himself.  Christian  workers  of  the  longest 
and  largest  experience  particularly  emphasize  this 
point. 

Looking  at  the  great  number  of  Scripture  references 
in  this  volume,  it  would  seem  like  asking  something 
that  was  impossible,  to  suggest  the  memorizing  of  them 
all.  Yet  it  is  a  comparatively  easy  task  if  undertaken 
in  the  right  manner. 

A  few  suggestions  will  be  helpful  here. 


INSTRUCTIONS  49 

1.  Memorize  the  location  of  the  verse  together  with 
the  verse.  You  will  find  it  just  as  easy  to  say,  *'John 
1 :29,  Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,  which  taketh  away  the 
sin  of  the  world,"  as  you  would  if  you  merely  said, 
"Behold  the  Lamb  of  God,"  etc.,  omitting  to  state  the 
reference. 

2.  Learn  it.  Don't  get  a  faint,  indefinite  idea.  If 
you  want  to  remember  any  text  in  after  years,  let  it 
make  a  deep,  clear  and  vivid  impression  on  your  mind 
the  moment  you  learn  it. 

3.  Read  the  verse  over,  say  twenty  times;  close 
your  Bible  and  see  if  you  can  repeat  it  correctly,  then 
to  be  sure,  read  it  again.  Once  writing  the  verse  is 
worth  a  dozen  repetitions  of  it  by  mouth. 

4.  Review.  This  is  the  secret  of  memorizing.  Re- 
view every  day,  every  week,  every  month,  and  every 
year. 

5.  Practice.  Use  the  passages  of  Scripture.  Seek 
occasions  /^or  talking  to  persons  who  have  difficulties. 

The  writer's  book  entitled,  Hoiv  to  Memorize,  issued  by  the  pub- 
lishers of  this  work,  will  be  found  very  helpful  in  memorizing  any 
matter,  but  especially  the  Scriptures. 


THE  UNINTERESTED 

AND  UNCONCEENED 


CHAPTER  V. 


I.  THE  UNINTERESTED  AND  UNCONCERNED. 

HOW  shall  we  treat  those  with  whom  we  speak  con- 
cerning their  spiritual  condition,  and  for  whose 
salvation  we  are  anxious,  who  nevertheless  treat  our 
approaches  and  earnest  solicitations  with  seeming 
contempt,  or,  to  say  the  least,  with  apparent  indiffer- 
ence? Our  best  efforts,  our  most  praj^erful  pleadings, 
seem  not  to  move  them.  They  remain  not  only  un- 
moved, but  uninterested.  To  us  they  seem  to  be  an 
unreasonable  and  a  gainsaying  people.  Such  persons 
may  be  among  our  most  intimate  friends,  members  of 
our  families,  husband  or  wife,  brother  or  sister.  The 
thought  of  their  being  lost  is  more  than  we  can  bear. 
Yet  we  do  not  seem  to  be  able  to  interest  them  in  the 
salvation  of  their  own  souls.  What  shall  we  say  ?  what 
can  we  do?  what  arguments  can  we  bring  forth  that 
shall,  under  God,  be  the  means  of  bringing  them  to 
realize  their  need  of  Christ  as  their  personal  Saviour? 

We  must  not  treat  all  men  alike,  any  more  than  a 
physician  treats  all  people  alike  who  come  to  him  for 
medical  attention.  Jude  22,  23  suggests  a  difference 
of  method  in  dealing  with  souls — ''And  of  some  have 
compassion,  making  a  difference :  and  others  save  with 
fear,  pulling  them  out  of  the  fire.'' 

There  are  four  general  ways  in  which  we  may  deal 
with  the  Uninterested  and  Unconcerned: 

1.    Aim  to  produce  conviction  of  sin. 

All  men  need  to  be  brought  face  to  face  with  the 
fac^  that  they  have  sinned,  for  without  this  knowledge 
there  can  hardly  be  any  heartfelt  need  of  a  Saviour. 

53 


54  PERGONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Of  course,  it  is  the  work  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  produce 
conviction  of  sin  (John  16:9).  No  human  teacher,  no 
Christian  worker,  however  faithful  and  consecrated, 
can  produce  it ;  conscience  cannot  produce  it ;  even  the 
Gospel  itself  cannot  do  it.  Although  the  Word  of 
God  is  the  sword  of  the  Spirit,  yet,  unless  the  Spirit 
of  God  draws  forth  and  wields  that  sword,  it  lies 
powerless  in  its  scabbard.  Only  when  He  wields  it, 
is  it  '^quick  and  powerful"  (Heb.  4:12).  The  power  is 
from  God.  Yet  man  is  the  instrument :  it  isjhej^sword 
of  the  Lord,  and  of  Gideon,"  too. 

Now,  what  scriptures  shall  we  use  to  produce  con- 
viction of  sin?  Through  the  law  is  the  knowledge  of 
sin.  ^'I  had  not  known  sin,  but  by  the  law"  (Rom. 
7:7).  A  man  must  acknowledge  himself  to  be  a  sinner 
before  he  can  call  on  God  for  forgiveness.    Therefore — 

(a)  Use  such  passages  of  Scripture  as  are  likely  to 
produce  conviction  of  sin. 

First,  the  fact  of  sin.  Show  the  inquirer  that  he 
has  sinned,  that  he  is  a  sinner.    To  do  this,  use : 

Isa.  53:6: 

All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned 
every  one  to  his  own  way :  and  the  Lord  hath  laid 
on  him  the  iniquity  of  us  all. 

Rom.  3 :10,  23  : 

There  is  none   righteous,    no,   not   one ; 

For  all  have  sinned  and  come  short  of  the  glory  of  God. 

Show  that  "all"  includes  him.  We  may  differ  in  the 
extent  but  not  in  the  nature  of  sin.  All  have  gone 
astray  from  God.  If  the  inquirer  says  he  has  not 
sinned,  show  him  1  John  1 :8,  10.  To  say  we  have  not 
sinned  is  to  make  God  a  liar.  But  God  is  true.  He 
is  "not  a  man  that  he  should  lie."  "Let  God  be  true, 
but  every  man  a  liar"  (Rom.  3:4). 

It  is  possible  that  the  inquirer  may  say,  in  this  con- 
nection: "Well,  I  have  not  sinned  much;  I  am  not  a 


UNINTERESTED  AND  UNCONCERNED      55 

great  sinner."  Ask  him  what  is  his  definition  of  a 
great  sinner.  He  will  doubtless  say,  ^'One  who  has 
broken  much  of  the  law."  You  may  then  read  to  him 
Matt.  22 :37,  38  : 

Jesus  said  unto  him,  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,  and  with  all  thy  soul,  and  with  all 
thy  mind. 

This  is  the  first  and  great  commandment. 

Ask  him  if  he  has  loved  God  in  the  manner  indicated 
in  this  verse — with  all  the  heart,  mind,  soul,  strength? 
8hoAv  him  just  what  it  means  to  thus  love  God;  that 
we  must  love  Him  supremely,  and  put  the  doing  of  His 
will  before  all  else.  If  he  speaks  the  truth,  he  will 
confess  that  he  has  not  thus  loved  God.  Then  ask 
him  what  commandment  he  has  broken :  ''The  first  and 
the  greatest."  If  a  man  breaks  the  greatest  command- 
ment, is  he  not  a  great  sinner?  Then,  again,  to  inten- 
sify the  thought  of  sin,  James  2 :10  may  be  used : 

For  whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and  yet  offend 
in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all. 

Show  him  from  this  passage  that  to  break  one  com- 
mandment is  to  break  them  all.  Therefore,  according 
to  his  own  definition  of  a  great  sinner,  he  is  such  a  sin- 
ner, inasmuch  as  he  has  broken  the  whole  law. 

(h)  Use  such  passages  as  set  fpxtlLihe...con8equenc£^s 
of  sin. 

Inasmuch  as  the  inquirer  has  just  admitted  that  he 
has  not  kept  ''the  whole  law,"  it  is  well  to  show  him 
from  Gal.  3:10  the  penalty  God  has  attached  to  such 
disobedience. 

For  as  many  as  are  of  the  works  of  the  law  are  un- 
der the  curse :  for  it  is  written,  Cursed  is  every  one 
that  continueth  not  in  all  things  which  are  written 
in   the  book   of  the   law   to  do   them. 

The  law  demands  a  jjerfect  and  a  continual  obedience, 
and  the  man  who  fails  to  render  such  an  obedience  is 
"under  the  curse";  that  is  to  say,  he  is  separated  and 


56  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

banished  from  God.  The  pronouncement  of  woe  has 
already  been  passed  upon  him.  He  is  "already  con- 
demned" ;  compare  Kom.  6 :23 ;  Ezek.  18 :4. 

Sometimes  the  objector  will  say,  "I  shall  be  glad  te 
die,  for  then  there  will  be  an  end  to  all  my  trouble." 
You  may  then  show  him  that  "death,"  in  the  Bible 
meaning  of  the  word,  does  not  denote  cessation  of  exist- 
ence, but,  on  the  contrary,  an  endless  conscious  exist- 
ence.   To  prove  this,  use: 

Rev.  21 :8 : 

But  the  fearful,  and  unbelieving,  and  the  abominable, 
and  murderers,  and  whoremongers,  and  sorcerers,  and 
idolaters,  and  all  liars,  shall  have  their  part  in  the 
lake  which  burneth  with  flre  and  brimstone :  which  is 
the  second  death. 

Also  Rev.  14  :10,  11 ;  John  3 :36  and  8 :21,  24  to  show 
that  continuance  in  sin  will  shut  the  gate  of  heaven 
in  a  man's  face,  and  bring  down  upon  him  the  perpetual 
wrath  of  God. 

It  has  been  objected  to  this  method  of  dealing  with 
men,  that  it  is  making  an  appeal  on  the  ground  of 
fear,  which  is  unworthy  and  low.  Suffice  it  to  say  in 
reply  that  we  are  conscious  of  no  cowardice  in  thus 
appealing  to  the  element  of  fear.  Our  Master  appealed 
to  it  again  and  again.  More  than  once  did  he  refer  to 
the  worm  that  dieth  not  and  the  fire  that  shall  never 
be  quenched.  If  men  will  not  respond  to  the  higher 
motive  of  love,  there  is  then  nothing  else  for  us 
to  do  than  to  appeal  to  the  lower  motive  of  fear.  We 
must  "by  all  means  save  some."  If  Mount  Calvary 
will  not  melt  the  heart  of  the  sinner,  then  we  must 
take  him  to  Mount  Sinai,  that  it  may  be  broken  into 
penitence. 

(c)  Particularly  should  the  guilt  of  rejecting  Christ 
as  the  Saviour  he  shown. 

Men  do  not  realize  as  they  should  the  enormity  of  the 
guilt  of  rejecting  Jesus  Christ.     Yet  unbelief  is  the 


UNINTERESTED  AND  UNCONCERNED      57 

greatest  sin  in  the  world.  It  is  not  generally  recog- 
nized as  such ;  possibly  because  it  is  a  state  rather  than 
an  act,  and  has  no  outward  form  as  has  the  committal 
of  some  other  sins,  murder  or  adultery,  for  instance. 
Yet  the  sin  of  unbelief  is  the  condemning  sin  of  the 
world.  It  is  the  oflSce  of  the  Holy  Spirit  to  convict 
men  of  this  specific  sin.  To  show  the  greatness  of  this 
sin  use: 

John  3 :17-19 : 

For  God  sent  not  his  Son  into  the  world  to  condemn 
the  world ;  but  that  the  world  through  him  might  be 
saved. 

He  that  believeth  on  him  is  not  condemned  ;  but  he  that 
believeth  not  is  condemned  already,  because  he  hath  not 
believed   in  the   name  of  the  only   begotten   Son  of  God. 

And  this  is  the  condemnation,  that  light  is  come  into 
the  world,  and  men  loved  darkness  rather  than  light, 
because  their  deeds  were  evil. 

Note  the  context :  Christ  came  not  into  the  world  to 
ruin  it,  but  to  save  it.  A  man  abandons  himself 
to  ruin  by  the  rejection  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Hebrews  10:28,  29  shows  the  awful  punishment 
awaiting  those  who  reject  the  redemptive  work  of  Jesus 
Christ. 

He  that  despised  Moses'  law  died  without  mercy  under 
two   or   three   witnesses : 

Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he  be 
thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the  Son 
of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath 
done  despite  unto  the  Spirit  of  grace? 

The  more  clearly  God's  will  is  made  known,  the 
greater  the  guilt  in  resisting  it.  The  revelation  of  God 
in  Christ  is  greater  by  far  than  the  revelation  of  God 
in  the  law  (Heb.  2:2).  God's  will  has  been  fully  made 
known  in  Christ,  hence  the  guilt  of  rejecting  Him. 

By  using  Hebrews  2 :3  with  12 :25  we  learn  that  those 
who  disobeyed  the  revelation  of  God  as  given  by  angels 
did  not  escape  the  punishment  of  God ;  how  much  less 
"shall  we  escape,  if  we  neglect  so  great  salvation/' 
which  was  spoken  by  our  Lord? 


58  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINXINQ 

2.  Use  such  passages  of  Scripture  as  set  forth  the  lore  of 
God  iu  the  gift  of  His  Son,  Jesus  Christ.  Seek  to  awaken 
the  inquirer's  gratitude  to  God  for  His  unspeakable  gift, 

John  3:16  sets  forth  in  a  wondrous  way  the  love 
of  God  to  man : 

For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
perish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 

Many  a  time  the  mere  reading  of  this  verse  has 
melted  the  soul  of  a  hardened  sinner  to  tears.  The 
reading  of  the  nineteenth  chapter  of  John — the  story 
of  the  crucifixion  of  Christ — if  read  carefully  and  pray 
erfully — will  often  break  up  the  fountains  of  the  deep 
of  the  sinner's  heart  and  reveal  to  him  the  wondrous 
love  of  Christ  for  him. 

Isa.  53 :4,  5 : 

Surely  he  hath  borne  our  griefs,  and  carried  our  sor- 
rows :  yet  we  did  esteem  him  stricken,  smitten  of  God, 
and  afflicted. 

But  he  was  wounded  for  our  transgressions,  he  was 
bruised  for  our  iniquities:  the  chastisement  of  our  peace 
was  upon  him ;  and  with  his  stripes  we  are  healed. 

It  is  a  good  thing,  in  reading  this  passage,  to  change 
the  pronoun  "our''  into  "my,"  and  thus  make  the  mat- 
ter more  personal :  *>He  was  wounded  for  my  trans- 
gressions, He  was  bruised  for  my  iniquities." 

Rom.  2:4: 

Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  for- 
bearance and  longsuflfering ;  not  knowing  that  the  good- 
ness of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance? 

What  a  magnificent  opportunity  to  dwell  upon  the 
goodness  of  God  towards  the  sinner — ^His  longsuffering, 
patience,  sparing  his  life  in  spite  of  his  frequent  sin- 
ning, etc.  Such  goodness  ought  to  lead  men  to  repent 
of  their  sins  and  turn  unto  God. 

Here  are  some  incentives  given  in  testimony  by  some 
thoughtful  Christians  setting  forth  the  reasons  why 
they  came  to  Christ ; 


r 


UXIXTEBESTED  AXD  UNCONCERNED       50 

'Tear  set  me  to  thinking,  but  love  led  me  to  decide/' 
"The  love  of  Jesus  as  of  One  who  loved  me  and  took 
care  of  me." 
"His  personal  love  towards  me.'^ 
"John  3  :16." 

"The  prayer  in  Gethsemane.'* 
"Because  He  first  loved  me." 

8.    Sometimes  it  is  well  to  appeal  to  tlie  element  of  hope 
Tvhich  lies  deeply  hidden  in  every  man's  nature. 

In  Romans  8 :24  we  are  told  that  "We  are  saved  by 
hope."  This  is  a  legitimate  appeal.  Christ  appealed 
to  the  element  of  hope  in  the  heart  of  the  Samaritan 
woman  when  He  said :  "If  thou  knewest  the  gift  of  God 
.  .  .  .  thou  wouldest  have  asked"  (John  4:10).  He 
held  out  the  hope  of  heaven  to  the  rich  young  ruler  as 
an  inducement  to  follow  Him  (Matt.  19:21).  It  was 
this  element  of  hope  that  determined  the  choice  of 
Moses,  for  "he  had  respect  unto  the  recompense  of  re- 
ward"   (Heb.  11:26,  R.  V.). 

The  Christian  worker,  therefore,  will  do  well  to  seek 
to  create  an  interest  in  the  things  of  the  Christian 
faith.  This  may  be  done  in  a  general  way  by  using 
1  Tim.  4  :8  : 

For  bodily  exercise  proflteth  little:  but  godliness  is 
profitable  unto  all  tilings,  having  promise  of  the  life  that 
now  is,  and  of  that  which  is  to  come. 

This  passage  teaches  us  that  there  are  present  ad- 
vantages, as  well  as  future  blessings,  in  being  a  Chris- 
tian. Then  show  the  inquirer  some  of  the  blessings  of 
the  Christian  life,  the  which,  you  may  be  very  sure, 
he  does  not  possess,  but  which  he  can  have  the  moment 
he  becomes  a  Christian.  Let  it  be  remembered  here 
by  the  worker  that  not  one  of  the  blessings  we  are  now 
going  to  mention  is  possessed  by  the  sinner.  He  may 
claim  that  he  does  possess  them;  but  the  worker,  he- 


60  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

lieving  the  Word  of  God  rather  than  the  word  of  man, 
believes  the  truth  that  the  sinner  is  destitute  of  these 
things.  He  must  also  remember,  that,  deep  down  in 
the  heart  of  man,  there  is  a  longing  desire  to  possess 
these  blessings.  Here  are  some  of  the  things  the  sinner 
may  have,  if  he  believes  on  Christ : 

First,  he  may  knoiv  that  his  sins  are  all  forgiven. 

How  much  many  men  would  really  give  to  be  assured 
of  this  fact! 

Use  Acts  10:43: 

To  him  give  all  the  prophets  witness,  that  through  his 
name  whosoever  believeth  in  him  shall  receive  remission 
of  sins. 

Ask  him  if  he  would  not  like  to  have  the  assurance 
that  his  sins  are  all  forgiven,  blotted  out,  pardoned; 
that  the  sin  question  is  forever  settled ;  that  there  is  no 
longer  any  barrier  between  him  and  God.  He  doubt- 
less will  reply  in  the  affirmative.  You  can  then  read 
this  passage  again  to  him,  and  tell  him  this  blessing 
may  be  his,  if  he  will  accept  Jesus  Christ  as  his  own 
personal  Saviour.  1  John  1 :9  may  be  used  in  the 
same  way. 

Second,  the  Messing  of  peace. 

No  wicked  man  has  peace.  The  Word  of  God  dis- 
tinctly says  so. 

Isa.  57 :20,  21 : 

But    the    wicked    are    like    the    troubled   sea,    when   it 
cannot  rest,   whose  waters  cast  up  mire  and  dirt. 
There  is  no  peace,  saith  my  God,  to  the  wicked. 

The  sinner  may  dispute  the  Bible  and  tell  you  that 
he  has  peace,  but  do  not  believe  him.  I  remember  well 
dealing  with  a  man  along  this  very  line.  He  was  living 
in  sin,  and  yet  claimed  to  have  peace  of  soul.  I  quoted 
the  above  mentioned  passage  to  him,  but  he  still  per- 
sisted in  saying  that  he  had  peace.  I  said  to  him, 
*'My  friend,  it  is  merely  a  question  of  believing  you 


UNINTERESTED  AND  UNCONCERNED      61 

or  God;  whom  shall  I  believe?"  After  a  few  moments 
he  said,  ''Believe  God's  Word,  for  the  fact  of  the  matter 
is  I  am  the  most  restless  man  on  the  face  of  the  earth." 
I  then  had  him  read  for  himself  John  14 :27 : 

Peace  I  leare  with  you,  my  peace  I  give  unto  you :  not 
as  the  world  giveth,  give  I  unto  you.  Let  not  your  heart 
be  troubled,  neither  let  it  be  afraid. 

Isa.  26:3: 

Thou  wilt  keep  him  in  perfect  peace,  whose  mind  is 
stayed    on    thee ;    because    he    trusteth    in    thee. 

Third,  The  blessing  of  felloivship  icith  God. 
1  John  1 :3  : 

That  which  we  have  seen  and  heard  declare  we  unto 
you,  that  ye  also  may  have  fellowship  with  us :  and 
truly  our  fellowship  is  with  the  Father,  and  with  his 
Son  Jesus  Christ. 

These  and  many  other  blessings  which  the  accept- 
ance of  Christ  brings  with  it  may  be  dealt  with  further 
in  detail  as  the  circumstances  in  the  case  may  de- 
termine. 

4.    Sometimes  it  is  the  desire  to  be  a  blessing  to  others 
that  leads  some  men  to  accept  Christ  as  their  Saiiour. 

Here  are  some  of  the  expressions  I  have  personally 
gathered  from  the  testimony  of  Christian  workers:  ''I 
wanted  to  engage  in  the  Lord's  work  of  winning  souls, 
but  I  knew  I  could  not  unless  I  became  a  Christian.'^ 
''God's  need  of  laborers."  "To  keep  from  being  a  stum- 
bling-block to  others."  ''To  do  something  for  the  lost." 
''The  thought  of  being  able  to  help  others."  "The  feeling 
which  I  had  that  I  ought  to  do  something  for  others, 
and  for  Christ."  "I  wanted  to  be  of  some  good  in  the 
world."  "To  make  my  life  count  for  something.'^ 
These  are  the  expressed  reasons  why  these  young  men 
gave  themselves  to  Jesus  Christ.  Why  should  we  not, 
therefore,  say  to  men,  that  they  can  do  good  in  the 
world,  be  of  much  service  to  God  and  their  fellowmen 
if  they  become  Christians  ?    The  argument  that  a  man 


62  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

may  do  good  may  be  muck  more  effective  with  him  in 
leading  him  to  Christ,  than  the  presentation  of  the 
truth  that  much  good  will  come  to  him  personally 
by  so  doing.  The  appeal  to  Hobab  (Num.  10:29-32), 
"Come  thou  with  us,  and  we  will  do  thee  good,"  did  not 
win;  but  the  other  argument,  "Thou  mayest  be  unto 
us  instead  of  eyes,"  won.  Jesus  said :  "For  their  sakes 
I  sanctify  myself"  (John  17:19). 

Daniel  12 :3 : 

And  they  that  be  wise  shall  shine  as  the  brightness 
of  the  firmament ;  and  they  that  turn  many  to  righteous- 
ness as  the  stars  for  ever  and  ever. 

James  5 :20  may  be  used  in  the  same  way : 

Let  him  know,  that  he  which  converteth  the  sinner 
from  the  error  of  his  way  shall  save  a  soul  from  death, 
and  shall  hide  a  multitude  of  sins. 


THOSE  WHO  ARE  INTERESTED 
AND  CONCERNED,  BUT  IGNO- 
RANT OF  THE  WAY  OF  LIFE 


CHAPTER  VI. 

II.     THOSE  WHO  ARE  INTERESTED  AND  CON- 

CERNED,  BUT  IGNORANT  OF  THE  WAY 

OF  LIFE. 

THERE  are  many  seeking  after  God  who  do  not 
know  the  way  to  Him.  Like  the  Ethiopian 
eunuch,  they  are  interested  and  concerned  about  the 
way  of  life,  and  say  with  him,  ''How  can  I  know  the 
way,  except  someone  show  me?"  More  than  one  soul 
is,  at  this  very  minute,  crying  out,  "O  that  I  knew 
where  I  might  find  Him !  I  go  forward,  but  He  is  not 
there ;  and  backward,  but  I  cannot  perceive  Him ;  on 
the  left  hand  where  He  doth  work,  but  I  cannot  be- 
hold Him;  He  hideth  Himself  on  the  right  hand,  that 
I  cannot  see  Him."  Like  the  Philippian  jailer,  many 
are  convinced  of  their  sin,  and  cry  out,  "What  shall  I 
do  to  be  saved?"  Happy  indeed  is  that  Christian 
worker  who,  like  Philip  and  Paul,  can  ''find  the  place 
where  it  is  written  *  *  *  Believe  on  the  Lord 
Jesus  Christ,  and  thou  shalt  be  saved." 

A  splendid  illustration  of  one  who  is  interested  and 
concerned  in  the  salvation  of  his  soul,  but  ignorant  of 
what  to  do  to  be  saved,  is  found  in  Coinielms  in  Acts 
10  and  11.  He  was  desirous  of  becoming  a  Christian, 
but  was  ignorant  of  the  way  until  the  Lord  sent  Peter 
unto  him  to  tell  him  words  whereby  he  might  be  saved. 

What  to  Do  to  Become  a  Christian. 

1.    Show  the  inquirer  that  he  must  repent. 

Repentance  is  the  first  step  into  the  kingdom.  It  is 
useless  to  discuss  here  which  comes  first — repentance, 

65 


66  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

faith,  regeneration,  etc.  The  inquiry  room  is  not  a 
theological  clinic  or  a  seminary  class-room.  It  is  no 
place  for  hair-splitting  definitions  and  relations.  So 
far  as  the  purpose  of  leading  the  inquirer  to  Christ  is 
concerned,  repentance  comes  first :  ''Ye  repented  not 
*     *     *     that  ye  might  believe"   (Matt.  21:32). 

Use  Isa.  55 :7 : 

Let  the  wicked  forsake  his  way.  and  the  unrighteous 
man  his  thoughts :  and  let  him  return  unto  the  Lord, 
and  he  will  have  mercj'  upon  him  ;  and  to  our  God,  for 
he  will  abundantly  pardon. 

Use  also  Acts  26 :20 ;  2  Chron.  7 :14. 

These  passages  show  that  the  first  thing  that  God 
requires  of  a  man  who  desires  to  become  a  Christian  is 
that  he  repent.  There  is  no  conversion  without  repent- 
ance. 

It  may  be  necessary  to  show  what  repentance  is.  For 
this  purpose  use  Psalm  38 :6,  18 : 

I  am  troubled ;  I  am  bowed  down  greatly  ;  I  go  mourn- 
ing  all    the   day    long. 

For  I  will  declare  mine  iniquity  ;  I  will  be  sorry  for 
my  sin. 

Use  also  2  Cor.  7 :9,  10 ;  Matt.  26  :75. 

These  scriptures  show  that  a  deep,  pungent,  heart- 
felt sorrow  for  sin  is  an  essential  element  in  repent- 
ance. 

Men  need  to  mourn  because  of  their  sin.  Godly  sor- 
row is  that  which  is  wrought  in  the  soul  by  the 
Spirit  of  God  as  man  catches  a  glimpse  of  the  awful- 
uess  and  the  guilt  of  his  sin.  It  may  not  be  necessary 
to  shed  an  abundance  of  tears,  but  there  must  be  a 
real  heart-sorrow.  If  Christ  wept  over  the  sin  of  others, 
surely  we  ought  to  weep  over  our  own  sins. 

Repentance  involves  the  confession  of  sin.  Like 
David,  we  must  say :  ''I  have  sinned,  and  done  this  evil 


INTERESTED,  BUT  IGNORANT  67 

in  thy  sight.- '  The  Psalmist  not  onl}^  said :  "I  will 
be  sorry  for  my  sin,"  but  also  ^'I  will  declare  my 
iniquity." 

Use  1  John  1 :9 : 

If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  for- 
give us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  uni-lghteous- 
ness. 

Use  also  Psalm  32 :5 ;  Luke  18 :13. 

God  cannot  forgive  my  sin  until  I  confess  it  to  Him. 
If  I  do  confess,  then  His  promise  is,  "He  is  faithful 
and  just  to  forgive."  It  is  a  good  thing  to  get  the 
inquirer  to  be  specific  in  his  confession.  General  con- 
fessions are  good ;  but  the  confession  of  particular  sins, 
as  well  as  of  sin  as  a  whole,  is  better.  Say  with  David : 
"I  have  done  this  evil  in  Thy  sight."  (Compare  Dan. 
0:3-11.) 

Attention  ought  to  be  drawn  to  the  fact  that  there 
should  be  confession  to  m.an  also,  if  man  has  been 
wronged  in  the  sinning. 

Use  Matt.  5  :23,  24  : 

Therefore  if  thou  bring  thy  gift  to  the  altar,  and 
there  rememberest  that  thy  brother  hath  aught  against 
thee  ; 

Leave  there  thy  gift  before  the  altar,  and  go  thy 
way ;  first  be  reconciled  to  thy  brother,  and  then  come 
and  offer  thy  gift. 

Use  also  Matt.  6:14,  15;  Luke  19:8. 

Too  often  is  this  truth  overlooked  in  our  dealings 
with  men.  We  must  see  to  it  that  men  are  right 
with  man  as  well  as  with  God.  "If  a  man  say,  I  love 
God,  and  hateth  his  brother,  he  is  a  liar:  for  he  that 
loveth  not  his  brother  whom  he  hath  seen,  how  can  he 
love  God  whom  he  hath  not  seen?"     (1  John  4  :20.) 

Repentance  involves  a  forsaking  of  sin. 

No  repentance  is  real  that  does  not  lead  a  man  to 
forsake    his    sin.     Repentance    is    not    only    a    heart 


68  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

broken  for  sin;  it  is  also  a  heart  broken  from  sin. 
Until  a  man  has  turned  away  from  his  sinful  ways,  he 
has  not  truly  repented,  no  matter  how  loud  his  pre- 
tensions thereto  may  be. 

Use  Prov.  28:13: 

He  that  eovereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper :  but  whoso 
confesseth  and  forsaketh  them  shall  have  mercy. 

Use  also  Isa.  55 :7 ;  Ezek.  33 :11. 

2.    Show  the  inquirer  that  he  most  have  faith  in  order  to 
be  saved. 

He  must  not  only  repent,  he  must  "repent,  and  be- 
lieve the  Gospel."  Indeed,  repentance  is  in  order  to 
faith :  "Ye  repented  not  afterward,  that  ye  might  be- 
lieve" (Matt.  21:32). 

There  must  be  faith  in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  as  the 
Saviour  from  the  guilt  and  power  of  sin. 

Use  Isa.  53 :6 : 

All  we  like  sheep  have  gone  astray  ;  we  have  turned 
every  one  to  his  own  way  ;  and  the  Lord  hath  laid  on 
him  the  iniquity  of  us  all. 

Also  Gal.  3:13;  2  Cor.  5:21. 

In  these  passages  we  have  Christ  presented  to  us 
as  God's  sacrificial  lamb  bearing  the  sin  of  the  world, 
charged  by  God  to  carry  the  burden  of  the  world's 
iniquity.  The  wrath  due  our  sin  was  made  to  strike 
upon  Him;  the  curse  due  our  sin  was  borne  by  Him 
in  His  own  body  on  the  tree.  It  was  "instead  of  us" 
that  He  suffered  and  died.  "He  was  made  sin  for  us," 
in  order  that  we,  by  accepting  His  finished  work, 
''might  be  made  the  righteousness  of  God  in  Him." 
This  is,  to  say  the  least,  a  vital  part  of  the  content  of 
saving  faith.  A  man  must  believe  this  in  order  to  be 
saved. 


INTERESTED,  BUT  IGNORANT  69 

Not  only  are  these  facts  to  be  believed,  but  Jesus 
Himself  is  to  be  received  as  a  personal  Saviour.  Only 
thus  does  a  man  become  a  child  of  God  by  a  legitimate 
right  derived  from  a  competent  source.  This  truth  is 
brought  out  in  John  1 :12 : 

But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power 
to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe 
on  his  name. 

That  is  to  say,  as  many  as,  accepting  Him  (i  e., 
acknowledging  His  claims  as  Saviour  and  King),  re- 
ceived Him  as  such,  became,  thereby,  sons  of  God. 
First,  I  believe  His  claims,  and  then  I  receive  Him  to 
be  all  He  claims  to  be — my  personal  Saviour  and  Lord. 
Thus  believing  and  receiving  I  am  saved. 

3.    Show  the  inquirer  that  he  must  confess  Jesus  Christ  be- 
fore  the  world. 

Faith  without  confession  is  no  more  faith  than  con- 
fession without  faith  is  real  confession.  Salvation  may 
be  forfeited  by  an  unwillingness  to  confess  Christ.  If 
faith  does  not  grow  into  confession,  it  dies  back,  first 
into  mere  opinion,  and  then  into  unbelief.  To  confess 
Christ  is  a  test  of  the  reality  of  our  faith  in  Him ;  for 
it  is  written:  ''Whosoever  believeth  on  Him  shall  not 
be  ashamed." 

Use  Rom.  10 :9-ll : 

That  if  thou  shalt  confess  with  thy  mouth  the  Lord 
Jesus,  and  shalt  believe  in  thine  heart  that  God  hath 
raised  him  from   the  dead,  thou  shalt  be  saved. 

For  with  the  heart  man  believeth  unto  righteousness  ; 
and  with  the  mouth   confession  is  made  unto  salvation. 

ifor  the  scripture  saith,  Whosoever  believeth  on  him 
shall  not  be  ashamed. 

Note,  in  using  this  passage,  how  that,  in  a  sense, 
salvation  hinges  upon  the  confession  of  Christ.  ''If 
*  *  *,  thou  shalt  be  saved."  Use  also  Matt.  10: 
32,  33. 


70  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Ask,  "Who  is  it  tbat  is  going  to  be  confessed  before 
the  Father  and  the  angels  in  heaven?"  The  answer 
will  be,  "Those  who  confess  Christ  here  on  earth." 
Then  ask,  ''Whom  will  Christ  deny  in  heaven?"  The 
text  gives  the  answer:  Those  who  were  ashamed  to 
confess  Christ  here  on  earth.  From  this  it  is  clear 
that,  if  a  man  would  be  a  Christian,  he  must  be  willing 
to  confess  Jesus  Christ  before  the  world. 

4.    Show  the  inquirer  that  Christ  mnst  be  received  as  Lord 
and  Kin^. 

It  is  not  enough  to  receive  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour 
from  the  guilt  of  sin;  He  must  be  received  as  the 
director  and  controller  of  our  life.  From  henceforth, 
the  Christian  must  say,  "It  is  no  longer  I  that  live, 
but  Christ  that  liveth  in  me.  Christ,  not  I,  is  the 
Master  of  my  life.  From  henceforth  all  that  is  done 
must  be  done  with  His  approval." 

Acts  2 :36 : 

Therefore  let  all  the  house  of  Israel  know  assuredly, 
that  God  hath  made  that  same  Jesus,  whom  ye  have 
crucified,  both  Lord  and  Christ. 

Col.  3 :17 : 

And  whatsoever  ye  do  in  word  or  deed,  do  all  in  the 
name  of  the  Lord  Jesus,  giving  thanks  to  God  and  the 
Father   by  him. 

See  also  John  2 :5. 


THOSE  WHO  AEE  INTERESTED 
AND  ANXIOUS  TO  BECOME 
CHRISTIANS,  BUT  HAVE  DIF- 
FICULTIES IN  THE  WAY 


CHAPTER  Vn. 

III.     THOSE     WHO     ARE     INTERESTED     AND 

ANXIOUS  TO  BECOME  CHRISTIANS,  BUT 

HAVE  DIFFICULTIES  IN  THE  WAY. 

WITH  some  people  there  are  certain  difficulties  and 
obstacles  which  seem  to  stand  in  the  way  of  an 
acceptance  of  Christ  as  Saviour  and  Lord.  These  diffi- 
culties must  be  solved — at  least  those  that  are  solv- 
able— and  the  obstacles  removed.  It  is  the  business 
of  the  Christian  worker,  in  co-operation  with  the  Hoi}- 
Spirit,  to  render  this  service.  The  incident  of  the 
raising  of  Lazarus  from  the  dead  may  serve  to  illus- 
trate what  we  here  have  in  mind.  Between  the  life- 
giving  Christ  and  the  dead  body  of  Lazarus  there  lies 
a  huge  stone.  Christ  has  only  to  speak  the  word,  and, 
moved  by  hands  irresistible,  that  stone  moves  away 
to  reveal  the  secrets  of  the  tomb.  But  Christ  does  not 
speak  that  word,  nor  does  He  address  the  stone.  He 
addresses  those  standing  around — to  them  He  says: 
'^Roll  ye  away  the  stone."  They  must  do  what  they 
can;  what  they  cannot  do,  He  will  do.  So  is  it  with 
us  in  our  dealing  with  souls  that  are  dead  in  sin :  we 
may  not  be  able  to  speak  the  word  that  shall  mean  life 
from  the  dead,  but  we  can  endeavor  to  remove  the 
obstacles  which  impede  their  coming  to  Him  who  is 
the  Life.  To  remove  these  obstacles,  to  answer  these 
objections,  and  to  solve  thefee  difficulties  is  not,  how- 
ever, the  main  purpose  of  the  Christian  worker.  He 
does  these  things  simply  to  bring  the  sinner  into  con- 
tact with  the  Saviour.  Following  are  some  of  the  diffi- 
culties, objections,  and  excuses: 

73 


74  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WIXXiyG 

1.    **I  feel  that  I  hare  sinned  too  greatly  to  be  forgiren." 

How  shall  we  deal  with  this  difficulty?  Admit  the 
fact  that  the  inquirer  has  sinned  greatly.  Do  not 
minimize  sin ;  there  is  too  little  deep  conviction  of  sin 
nowadays.  This  may  be  the  reason  why  there  are  so 
many  sham  conversions.  A  man  will  not  appreciate 
Christ  as  a  Saviour  until  he  realizes  that  he  himself 
is  a  sinner.      He  that  is  forgiven  much  will  love  much. 

Endeavor  next  to  show  from  the  Scriptures  that  no 
sin  is  too  great  to  be  forgiven,  if  there  is  penitence  and 
confession.    Use  the  following  passages : 

1  Tim.  1 :15 : 


This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accepta- 
tion, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinners ;  of  whom  I  am  chief. 

Ask  the  question :  ''Whom  did  Jesus  Christ  come  into 
the  world  to  save?^'  The  answer  will  be,  ^'Sinners." 
^'Only  sinners?"  "No,  the  chief  of  sinners."  "Do  you 
feel  that  you  are  a  sinner?"  "Yes,  indeed,  the  chief 
of  sinners."  Then  you  can  show  him  that  he  is  just 
the  one  Jesus  Christ  came  into  the  world  to  save. 

Romans  5 :6-8 : 

For  when  we  were  y«t  without  strength,  in  due  time 
Christ  died  for  the  ungodly. 

For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die :  yet 
peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to  die. 

But  God  commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,   Christ  died  for   us. 

These  verses  state  that  Christ  died  not  for  the  right- 
eousness of  saints,  but  for  the  unrighteousness  of  sin- 
ners. A  "righteous"  man  is  one  who  keeps  the  law; 
a  "good"  man  is  one  who  does  more  than  keep  the 
law — he  gives  "good  measure,  pressed  down,  running 
over."  The  one  "without  strength"  is  the  one  who 
is  without  the  ability  to  do  what  he  knows  to  be  right. 


ANXIOUS,  BUT  PERPLEXED  75 

Now,  when  we  were  neither  ''righteous"  nor  "good," 
but,  on  the  contrary,  when  we  were  weak  and  ungodly, 
Christ  died  for  us.  The  righteous  man  demands  our 
respect;  the  good  man,  our  love.  When  we  deserved 
neither  love  nor  respect,  Christ  died  for  us.  Christ 
died  for  sinners. 

Matthew  9:12,  13: 

But  when  Jesus  heard  that,  he  said  nnto  them,  They 
that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that  are 
sick. 

But  go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  will  have 
mercy,  and  not  sacrifice  :  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the 
righteous,   but  sinners   to  repentance. 

Read  the  context.  Recall  with  what  ignominy  and 
shame  the  publicans  were  regarded.  Show  from 
Christ's  acceptance  of  this  publican's  invitation  His 
attitude  toward  great  sinners.  Verses  12  and  13  are 
Christ's  defense  of  his  action,  and  at  the  same  time 
show  us  the  purpose  of  His  coming  into  the  world — 
"not  to  call  the  righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance." 

Luke  19  :10 : 

For  the  Son  of  man  is  come  to  seek  and  to  save  that 
which  was  lost. 

This  passage  distinctly  tells  us  that  Christ  left  His 
home  in  the  glory  to  save  whom?  "The  lost."  The 
inquirer  claims  to  be  a  lost  sinner,  therefore  he  is  just 
the  one  Jesus  Christ  came  to  save. 


2.    Those  who  say!  *1  hare  no  feeling;  I  do  not  feel  as  though 
I  want  to  be  a  Christian." 

This  is  a  large  and  a  difficult  class  to  deal  with. 

The  question  of  emotion  in  religion  is  an  intricate  one. 

Leading  psychologists  have  spent  much  time  debating 

the  question  pro  and  con.     There  still  remains  much 

diversity  of  opinion   on   the  subject.    After  all,   the 

degree  of  emotion  in  religion  must,  in  the  very  nature 


76  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

of  the  case,  be  determined  by  the  temperament  of  the 
individual  concerned. 

As  to  the  source  of  this  excuse,  it  may  come  from 
exaggerated  views  of  some  of  the  conversions  recorded 
in  the  Bible;  e.  g.^  the  Philippian  jailer  (Acts  16),  or 
Saul  of  Tarsus  (Acts  9).  If  so,  it  is  well  to  remind 
them  of  the  childhood  conversion  of  Timothy  (2  Tim. 
3),  and  of  John  the  Baptist,  who  was  filled  with  the 
Holy  Ghost  from  his  mother's  womb  (Luke  1 :15). 

This  excuse  may  arise,  in  the  next  place,  from  the 
striking  testimonies  given  in  church  meetings  and  else- 
where by  those  who  have  found  Christ  as  their  Saviour. 
Said  one  such  man  sometime  ago:  '^I  had  a  long  and 
bitter  experience  because  of  the  language  of  people  in 
testimony  meetings.  At  times,  I  have  felt  as  though 
I  was  not  as  religious  as  I  ought  to  be,  or  rather  had  no 
religion  whatsoever."  Once  a  man  in  New  England  was 
accosted  by  Mr.  Moody,  and  being  asked  if  he  were  a 
Christian,  replied,  ^'No,  it  hasn't  struck  me  yet."  This 
man  was  looking  for  an  experience  similar  to  one  he 
had  heard  a  friend  of  his  testify  to  some  months  before. 
He  thought  it  was  necessary  for  him  to  have  a  similar 
experience  before  he  could  become  a  Christian.  These 
people  think  they  will  get  a  peculiar  and  strange  inner 
purpose,  a  kind  of  tugging  at  their  will  power  by  a 
divine  impulse  which  will  suggest  what  to  do  and 
what  not  to  do.  There  can  be  no  doubt  but  that  con- 
siderable emotion  is  present  in  some  conversions,  but 
certainly  not  in  all;  nor  are  we  to  consider  it  to  be 
absolutely  necessary  to  any. 

Where  in  all  the  Bible  is  feeling  demanded  as  a 
requisite  to  salvation?  Did  Jesus  command  it?  Did 
Paul,  or  John,  or  Peter?  Indeed,  by  referring  to  the 
story  of  Jacob's  deception  (Gen.  27),  we  see  the  folly 
of  depending  upon  mere  feeling. 


ANXIOUS,  BUT  PERPLEXED  77 

Jer.  17 :9,  10 : 

The  heart  is  deceitful  above  all  things,  and  desperately 
wicked:    who  can   know   it? 

I  the  Lord  search  the  heart,  I  try  the  reins,  even  to 
give  every  man  according  to  his  ways,  and  according 
to  the  fruit  of  his  doings. 

This  verse  may  be  used  to  good  advantage  in  this  con- 
nection. It  shows  that  the  human  heart  is  not  to  be 
absolutely  relied  upon  in  such  matters. 

It  will  be  helpful  to  show,  that,  by  the  testimony  of 
many  living  witnesses,  salvation  may  be  secured  with- 
out the  kind  or  amount  of  feeling  some  seem  to  think 
is  necessary.  A  recent  report  shows,  that,  of  over  2,000 
conversions,  only  18  per  cent  were  accompanied  with 
any  emotion  like  the  fear  of  hell,  or  great  trembling 
because  of  great  sinfulness.  And  in  some  of  these 
cases  the  sorrow  was  an  indefinable  something,  rather 
than  any  clearly  defined  state  of  feeling.  Indeed,  a 
great  proportion  of  those  questioned  bore  witness  to 
the  fact  that  a  sense  of  sin  came  really  after  their 
conversion.  God's  order  is  fact,  faith,  and  then  feel- 
ing. Satan  reverses  this  order,  making  feeling  first, 
faith  last. 

Show  From  the  Bible  What  God  Requires  in  Order 
TO  BE  Saved. 

(a)  Faith.     John  1 :12  : 

But  as  many  as  received  him,  to  them  gave  he  power 
to  become  the  sons  of  God,  even  to  them  that  believe  on 
his  name. 

Also  Acts  13 :38,  39 ;  John  3 :36. 
(h)  Confession  and  forsaking  of  sin. 
Prov.  28 :13 : 

He  that  covereth  his  sins  shall  not  prosper :  but  whos* 
confesseth  and  forsaketh   them  shall   have  mercy. 

Also  1  John  1 :9 ;  Isa.  55  :7. 


78  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

It  might  be  well  to  use  the  method  suggested  under 
''The  Uninterested  and  Unconcerned" — such  passages 
as  are  likely  to  produce  conviction  of  sin. 

8.    Those  who  say,  "I  am  seeking,  but  I  cannot  find  Christ.'' 

The  trouble  is,  undoubtedly,  that  they  are  not  seek- 
ing God  sincerely. 

Use  Jer.  29 :13 : 

And    ye    shall    seek    me,    and   find    me,    when    ye   shall 
search   for   me  with   all   your   heart. 

Also  Rom.  10:6-10;  John  12:87-41. 

These  passages  show  that  it  is  possible  to  tell  the 
very  moment  when  a  man  may  find  Christ — the  very 
moment  he  seeks  for  Him  with  all  the  heart.  He  is 
not  far  away  from  any  one  of  us  (Acts  17:27,  28). 

You  may  next  show  that  not  only  is  it  true  that  he 
is  seeking  Christ,  but  also  that  Christ  is  seeking  him. 
The  parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son,  and  that  of  the 
Saviour  seeking  the  Lost  Sheep  (Luke  15)  both  illus- 
trate this  truth.  It  ought  not  to  take  long  for  a  seek- 
ing sinner  and  the  seeking  Saviour  to  meet. 

It  might  be  well,  seeing  he  does  not  know  how  to 
seek  God  properly,  to  show  him  how  to  do  so.  See 
Chapter  VI,  on  "Those  Who  are  Interested  and  Con- 
cerned, but  Ignorant  of  the  Way  of  Life." 

4.    **I  would  like  to  he  a  Christian,  but  I  cannot  gire  up  my 
eyfl  ways." 

There  are  two  ways  of  dealing  with  this  class: 

(a)  Show  tJiem  that  they  are  not  to  depend  upon 
their  own  strength  to  give  up  their  sinful  tcays,  hut 
that  the  power  of  Christ  in  their  hearts  icill  enable 
them  to  overcome  all  evil. 


ANXIOUS.  BUT  PERPLEXED 


Phil.  4  :13 : 

I  can  do  all  things  through  Christ  which  strengtheneth 
me. 

Ezek.  36:25-27: 

Then  will  I  sprinlile  clean  water  upon  you,  and  ye 
shall  be  clean :  from  all  your  filthiness,  and  from  all 
your  idols,   will   I   cleanse  you. 

A  new  heart  also  will  I  give  you,  and  a  new  spirit 
will  I  put  within  you  :  and  I  will  take  away  the  stony 
heart  out  of  your  flesh,  and  I  will  give  you  an  heart 
of  flesh. 

And  I  will  put  my  spirit  within  you,  and  cause  you  to 
walk  in  my  statutes,  and  ye  shall  keep  my  judgments, 
and  do  them. 

Also  use  2  Cor.  5 :14-17. 

The  inspiring  and  strengthening  truth  prominent  in 
all  these  passages  is  that  God  will  put  a  spirit  into  our 
hearts  that  will  enable  us  to  overcome  our  evil  ways; 
that  we  are  strengthened  to  live  upright  when  we  are 
in  Christ ;  that  we  need  not  fear  the  power  of  evil,  if  v>'e 
are  truly  sons  of  God;  that,  through  faith  in  God,  the 
impossible  becomes  possible. 

(h)  They  should  he  given  to  understand  that  they 
can  and  they  must  give  up  their  eml  ways  or  perish. 

Gal.  G  :7,  8 : 

Be  not  deceived;  God  Is  not  mocked:  for  whatsoever 
a   man   soweth,    that   shall   he   also  reap. 

For  he  that  soweth  to  his  flesh  shall  of  the  flesh  reap 
corruption. 

Kom.  2  :8,  9 : 

But  unto  them  that  are  contentious,  and  do  not  obey 
the  truth,  but  obey  unrighteousness,  indignation  and 
wrath,  ... 

Tribulation  and  anguish,  upon  every  soul  of  man  that 
doeth  evil,  of   the  Jew  first,   and  also   of  the  Gentile. 

Also  use  Eccl.  11 :8,  9. 

5.    *a  would  like  to  become  a  Christian,  but  it  would  hurt 
my  business  if  I  did." 


80  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNINa 

There  is  much  truth  in  this  objection  so  far  as  some 
forms  of  business  are  concerned.  There  are  some  com- 
modities that  no  man,  Christian  or  non-Christian, 
ought  to  handle,  or  sell  to  his  fellowmen.  This  much 
is  most  certainly  true  with  regard  to  some  forms  of 
business,  that,  as  soon  as  a  man  becomes  a  Christian, 
he  must  forsake  them.  For  example,  a  Christian 
saloon-keeper  is  a  contradiction. 

It  is  a  comforting  thought,  however,  to  know  that,  jn 
the  ordinary,  necessary  and  legitimate  lines  of  business, 
a  man  can  conduct  himself  as  a  Christian  man.  It 
must  be  conceded  that  there  may,  and  do  arise  oppor- 
tunities where  a  prevarication  of  the  truth,  a  false 
representation,  or  an  unrighteous  investment  promise, 
and  even  yield,  large  financial  returns,  whereas  strict 
adherence  to  truth  and  righteousness  would  have  some- 
what lessened  the  receipts.  It  is  just  at  this  point 
that  the  above-named  objection  becomes  important  of 
consideration. 

That  a  man  can  be  a  business  man  and  a  Christian — 
this  is  most  certainly  true.  That  a  man  sometimes 
loses  by  loyalty  to  the  Christian  standard  in  business, 
is  also  true.  That  in  the  end  every  man  who  carries 
Christ  into  his  business  dealings  comes  out  gloriously 
triumphant  and  successful  there  can  be  not  the  slight- 
est reasonable  doubt. 

In  dealing  with  this  class  of  excuses  we  need  to 
make  very  prominent  the  great  and  eternal  truth  that 
that  "which  is  seen  is  temporal — but  that  which  is 
unseen  is  eternal";  that  "a  man's  life  consisteth  not 
in  the  abundance  of  things  which  he  possesseth" ;  that 
very  often,  if  not  always,  in  our  vain  attempt  to  gain 
the  world,  we  lose  our  souls. 

The  following  passages  are  helpful  in  dealing  with 
this  class: 


ANXIOUS,  BUT  PERPLEXED  81 

2  Chron.  25  :9  : 

And  Amaziah  said  to  the  man  of  God,  But  what  shall 
we  do  for  the  hundred  talents  which  I  have  given  to 
the  army  of  Israel?  And  the  man  of  God  answ^ered, 
The  Lord  is  able  to  give  thee  much  more  than  this. 

Mark  10 :29,  30  : 

And  Jesus  answered  and  said.  Verily  I  say  unto  you, 
There  is  no  man  that  hath  left  house,  or  brethren,  or 
sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children,  or 
lands,  for  my  sake,  and  the  gospel's. 

But  he  shall  receive  an  hundredfold  now  in  this  time, 
houses,  and  brethren,  and  sisters,  and  mothers,  and  child- 
ren, and  lands,  with  persecutions ;  and  in  the  world  to 
come  eternal   life. 

A  saloon-keeper,  who  was  desirous  of  becoming  a 
Christian,  but  who  was  doubtful  of  his  ability  to  sup- 
port himself  and  family,  if  he  gave  up  his  busine^^s, 
was  shown  these  verses.  The  thought  that  God  was 
able  to  give  him  much  more  than  he  had  to  give  up 
for  Christ,  so  strengthened  him  that  he  at  once  relin- 
quished his  illegitimate  business  and  came  out  de- 
cidedly for  Christ. 

Mark  8 :3G : 

For  what  shall  it  profit  a  man,  if  he  shall  gain  the 
whole  world,  and  lose  his  own  soul? 

This  verse  is  a  good  problem  in  profit  and  loss.  A 
man  cannot  gain  the  world  and  save  his  soul  at  the 
same  time.  Which  is  the  wiser  thing  to  do:  sacrifice 
the  salvation  of  the  soul  for  the  paltry  gaining  of 
material  things  by  non-Christian  methods,  or  be  honest 
in  business,  be  satisfied  with  a  little  less,  if  need  be, 
and  save  the  soul? 

Luke  12 :16-21 : 

And  he  spake  a  parable  unto  them,  saying :  The  ground 
of  a  certain   rich   man   brought   forth   plentifully : 

And  he  thought  within  himself,  saying,  What  shall  I 
do,  because  I  have  no  room  where  to  bestow  my  fruits? 

And  he  said,  This  will  I  do :  I  will  pull  down  my 
barns,  and  build  greater ;  and  there  will  I  bestow  all 
my  fruits  and  my  goods. 


82  PERSONAL  80UL-WINNIXG 

And  I  will  say  to  my  soul,  Soul,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease,  eat, 
drink,    and   be   merry. 

But  God  said  unto  him.  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul 
shall  be  required  of  thee  :  then  whose  shall  those  things 
be.  which  thou  hast  provided? 

So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is 
not  rich  toward  God. 

The  parable  of  the  Rich  Fool  shows  the  result  of 
living  only  for  the  things  of  this  world,  and  having  no 
treasure  in  the  world  to  come.  We  can  carry  none  of 
this  world's  goods  into  the  next  world.  We  leave  them 
for  others.  We  leave  the  world  as  we  came  into  it — 
empty.  The  only  thing  that  will  be  of  any  value  to  us 
in  the  world  to  come  will  be  what  we  have  done  for 
Christ  and  in  His  name. 

Matthew  6:33: 

But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteous- 
ness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. 

Show  the  inquirer  from  this  verse  that  his  first  dut;v' 
is  to  see  that  his  business  does  not  interfere  with  his 
religion. 


6.    "I  would  like  to  be  a  Christian,  but  I  cannot  forgive  my 
enemies." 

(a)  Shoiv  them  that  what  is  seemingly  impossihle 
to  the  natural  man  is  quite  possible  to  the  Christian 
through  grace;  that  God  can  take  away  from>  us  a 
heart  filled  tvith  hatred  and  replace  it  with  a  heart 
filled  ivith  love. 

Ezek.  36  :25-27 ;  Mark  9  :28. 

Phil.  4:13.     (See  under  4),  p.  78. 

(h)  Shoiv  them  that  unless  they  forgive  their 
enemies,  God  will  not  forgive  them. 

To  have  forgiven  others  is  one  of  the  pleas  we  need 
to  offer  to  God  for  our  own  forgiveness. 


AXXIOUS,  BUT  PERPLEXED  83 

Matt.  6 :12 : 

And  forgive   us  our   debts,   as   we  forgive  our   debtors. 

The  true  rendering  of  this  verse  is :  "And  forgive  us 
our  debts  as  we  have  forgiven  our  debtors.''  God's  for- 
giveness is  conditioned,  in  a  sense,  on  our  having  for- 
given our  enemies. 

The  parable  of  the  Unmerciful  Servant  is  full  of  in- 
structive truth  along  this  line  of  thought.  Read  it  care- 
fully.   It  is  found  in  Matthew  18 :23-35. 

He  who  refuses  to  forgive  those  who  have  wronged 
him,  shuts  the  door  of  heaven  in  his  own  face.  In  the 
eyes  of  God  he  is  no  better  than  a  murderer,  and  none 
such  shall  ever  enter  the  gates  of  heaven. 

1  John  3  :15  : 

Whosoever   hatetli   his   brother   is   a  murderer ;   and   ye 
l<now  that  no  murderer  hath  eternal  life  abiding  in  him. 

This  excuse,  or  more  properly^  this  great  sin,  is  hold- 
ing more  people  in  its  grasp  than  we  have  any  idea  of. 
It  is  worthy  of  note  that  it  is  the  only  petition  in  the 
Lord's  Prayer  that  our  Saviour  deemed  it  necessary 
to  pass  any  comment  on.  And  why?  Undoubtedly, 
because  He  knew  what  a  tight  and  almost  relentless 
grip  it  would  have  on  many  hearts  in  all  ages.  To 
cherish  ill-feeling  and  hatred  in  our  hearts  is  a  damning 
sin;  and  the  sooner  men  understand  it  the  better  for 
them. 

7.    "I  must  become  better  before  I  can  become  a  Cliristian." 

The  difficulty  with  this  class  of  inquirers  is  that 
they  feel  that  they  must  attain  to  a  certain  degree  of 
moral  character  before  they  can  be  accepted  by  Jesus 
Christ.  This  attitude  toward  salvation  is  fundamen- 
tally wrong.  It  seeks  to  make  salvation  dependent 
partly  upon  works  and  partly  upon  grace,  whereas  sal- 


84  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINXING 

vation  is  all  of  grace.  A  man  must  come  to  Christ  as 
a  poor  lost  and  helpless  sinner  with  nothing  but  his 
sins  to  plead. 

Nothing  in  my  hand  I  bring, 
Simply  to  Thy  cross   I   cling; 
Naked,  come  to  Thee  for  dress; 
Helpless,    look    to   Thee    for    grace; 
Foul,  I  to  the  fountain  fly; 
Wash  me,  Saviour,  or  I  die. 

The  following  passages  are  effective  in  dealing  with 
this  class: 

Matt.  9 :12,  13 : 

But  when  Jesus  heard  that,  he  said  unto  them, 
They  that  be  whole  need  not  a  physician,  but  they  that 
are   sick. 

But  go  ye  and  learn  what  that  meaneth,  I  will  have 
mercy,  and  not  sacritice :  for  I  am  not  come  to  call  the 
righteous,  but  sinners  to  repentance. 

Rom.  5 :6-8 : 

For  when  we  were  yet  without  strength,  in  due  time 
Christ   died  for  the   ungodly. 

For  scarcely  for  a  righteous  man  will  one  die :  yet 
peradventure  for  a  good  man  some  would  even  dare  to 
die. 

But  God  eommendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that, 
while  we  were  yet  sinners,   Christ  died  for  us. 

In  these  passages  we  are  taught  that  Christ  came 
not  to  save  those  who  were  good  and  righteous,  or  who 
had  attained  a  certain  degree  of  morality;  indeed,  the 
opposite  is  the  case,  he  came  to  save  the  sinful  and 
the  unworthy. 

It  will  be  well  to  use  illustrations  from  the  Scrip- 
tures which  show  the  willingness  of  God  to  save  sinners 
just  as  they  are.  The  prodigal  son  (Luke  15:18-24). 
was  received  just  as  he  was;  the  thief  on  the  cross 
(Luke  23:39-43)  surely  had  no  time  for  reformation, 
and  yet  he  was  received  by  Christ.  The  parable  of  the 
Pharisee  and  the  Publican  (Luke  18:10-14)  is  a  splen- 
did illustration  of  the  truth  that  a  man  must  take  the 
sinner's  place  in  order  to  be  received. 


THE  SELF-RIGHTEOUS 


CHAPTER  Vni. 


IV.     THE    SELF-RIGHTEOUS. 

THE  people  composing  this  class  may  be  designated 
as  those,  who,  being  approached  upon  the  sub- 
ject of  Christianity,  begin  at  once  to  minimize  the 
simple,  Christ-like  faith  of  the  Gospel,  and  magnify 
their  own  good  works.  They  say :  ''We  are  honest ; 
we  pay  our  debts;  we  observe  the  Golden  Rule  in  all 
our  dealings ;  we  are  liberal  and  beneficent  in  our  gifts 
to  charity,  and  upon  these  things  we  base  our  hopes  for 
the  future  welfare  of  the  soul." 

Now,  the  question  paramount  in  this  case  is  this: 
Can  the  good  works  and  meritorious  deeds  of  men 
prove  a  sufficient  basis  for  the  inheriting  of  life  eter- 
nal? or  do  men  need  the  cleansing  blood  of  Jesus 
Christ  to  wash  away  their  sins,  and  the  impeccable  mer- 
its of  the  Saviour  to  be  put  to  their  account?  On  what 
does  a  man's  hope  of  heaven  depend?  Upon  himself 
or  upon  the  Christ?  To  what  source  shall  we  look  for 
a  definite  and  conclusive  answer  to  a  question  so  im- 
portant and  fraught  with  such  great  and  eternal 
issues?  Surely  our  recourse  must  be  to  the  Word  of 
the  living  God. 

How  shall  we  proceed  to  deal  with  this  class  of 
persons?  Use  such  passages  of  Scripture  as  will  be 
likely  to  show  them  the  futility  of  their  mere  human 
merits. 


1.    Show  them  that  the  Bible  teaches  salyation  by  faith  in 
the  merits  of  Christ,  and  not  in  the  good  works  of  men. 


87 


88  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNna 

The  following  passages  will  reveal  this  truth : 
Rom.  3:20: 

Therefore  by  the  deeds  of  the  law  there  shall  no  flesh 
be  justified  in  his  sight ;  for  by  the  law  is  the  knowl- 
edge  of  sin. 

Rom.  4 :2-6 : 

For  if  Abraham  were  justified  by  works,  he  hath 
whereof   to   glory  ;   but   not   before   God. 

For  what  saith  the  Scripture?  Abraham  believed 
God  and  it  was  counted  unto  him  for  righteousness. 

Now  to  him  that  worketh  is  the  reward  not  reckoned 
of  grace,   but  of  debt. 

But  to  him  that  worketh  not,  but  believeth  on  him 
that  justifieth  the  ungodly,  his  faith  is  counted  for 
righteousness. 

Even  as  David  also  describeth  the  blessedness  of  the 
man  unto  whom  God  imputeth  righteousness  without 
works. 

Also  Gal.  2:16.  3:10,  11. 

From  these  and  numerous  other  passages  we  are 
taught  that  ''good  works,"  which  are  exceedingly  val- 
uable as  the  results  and  consequence  of  faith  in  Christ, 
yet  have  no  saving  merits  whatever,  when  separated 
from  that  which  gives  them  real  value  in  the  currency 
of  heaven. 

2.    Show  them  that  God  looks  not  only  upon  the  outward  acts 
of  life,  but  upon  the  inner,  hidden  motive  of  the  heart. 

In  the  eyes  of  God  actions  are  estimated,  not  by  the 
exterior  form,  but  by  the  inner  power  and  motive  which 
prompted  them.  Many  good  deeds  would  lose  this 
qualifying  adjective  if  measured  by  the  motive  which 
caused  them.  The  following  passages  bring  out  this 
truth  very  forcefully : 

Luke  IG  :15 : 

And  he  [Jesus]  said  unto  them.  Ye  are  they  wlii<r 
justify  yourselves  before  men ;  but  God  knoweth  your 
hearts ;  for  that  which  is  highly  esteemed  among  men 
is  abomination  in  the  sight  of  God. 


THE  SELF-RIGHTEOUS  89 


Prov.  1G:2: 


All  the  ways  of  a  man  aiT  clean  in  his  own  eyes  ;  but 
the   Lord   weigheth   the   spirits. 

Isa.  64  :6 : 

But    we    are    all    as    an    unclean    thing,    and    all    our 
righteousnesses  are  as  filthy  rags. 

Also  Jer.  17:9,  10;  Phil.  3:9;  1  Sam.  16:7;  Prov. 
30:12. 

One  important  thought  is  borne  home  upon  us  as  we 
read  these  passages,  and  it  is  this :  the  absolute  worth- 
lessuess  of  all  action  not  based  on  right  motives.  Let 
us,  as  Christian  workers,  seek  to  impress  those  with 
whom  we  deal  with  this  solemn  truth. 

3.  Show  that  we  can  please  God  by  faith  only. 
The  Jews  asked  Jesus  in  John  6 :28 : 

What  shall   we  do,   that  we  might  work  the  works  of 
God? 

Jesus  replied : 

This  is  the  work  of  God,  that  ye  believe  on  him  whom 
he  hath  sent. 

Faith  alone  gives  us  the  right  to  draw  near  to  God 
at  all : 

Heb.  11:6: 

But  without  faith  it  is  impossible  to  please  him  [God]. 

These  verses  contain  in  simple  formula  the  complete 
solution  of  the  relation  of  works  and  faith. 

4.  Show  them  from  the  Scriptures  that  such  a  belief  in  the 
meritorious  significance  of  good  works  makes  Toid,  ignores, 
neutralizes,  the  death  of  Christ  as  the  ground  of  our  sal- 
Tation. 

This  truth  is  contained  in  such  passages  as  Gal. 
2  :21 : 


90  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

I  do  not  frustrate  [or  make  void]  the  grace  of  God : 
for  if  righteousness  come  by  the  law,  then  Christ  is 
dead  in  vain  [or  for  naught]. 

5.  Give  illustrations  from  the  Scriptures  of  good,  moral  men, 
Tvho  nevertlieless  needed  a  change  of  heart,  who  needed 
saying  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  as  a  fitness  for  inheritance  in 
the  kingdom  of  God. 

Cornelius  (Acts  10:1-6  and  11:11-14)  and  Paul 
(Phil.  3:4-8)  furnish  very  striking  illustrations  of  the 
necessity  of  something  more  than  mere  human  goodness 
and  morality  to  fit  a  man  for  entrance  into  the  king- 
dom of  heaven.  Jesus'  own  words  are  very  emphatic 
in  this  connection :  ''Except  a  man  may  be  born  again 
[or  from  above],  he  cannot  see  the  kingdom  of  God.'' 


THE  BACKSLIDEB 


CHAPTER  IX. 

V.    THE  BACKSLIDER. 

THE  backslider  is  at  once  the  easiest  and  yet  the 
hardest  case  to  deal  with,  according  as  he  is 
penitent  or  impenitent. 

By  the  backslider  is  meant  the  one  who,  having  be- 
gun the  Christian  life,  has  given  it  up  for  one  reason 
or  another;  the  one  who,  having  put  his  hand  to  the 
plough,  has  turned  back. 

^'Backslider"  is  not  a  New  Testament  word,  and  oc- 
curs but  once  in  the  Old  Testament  (Prov.  14:14). 

How  To  Deal  With  Them. 

1.  Remember  that  all  professing  backsliders  are  not  so  in 
reality.  Some  backsliders  liaye  never  really  slid  forward. 
The  following  passages  clearly  show  this: 

1  John  2:19: 

They  went  out  from  ns,  but  they  were  not  of  us ;  for  if 
they  had  been  of  us.  they  would  no  doubt  have  continued 
with  us ;  but  they  went  out,  that  they  might  be  made 
manifest  that  they  were  not  all  of  us. 

2  Pet.  2:20-22: 

For  if,  after  they  have  escaped  the  pollutions  of  the 
world  through  the  knowledge  of  the  Lord  and  Saviour 
Jesus  Christ,  they  are  again  entangled  therein,  and  over- 
come, the  latter  end  is  worse  with  them  than  the  begin- 
ning. 

For  it  had  been  better  for  them  not  to  have  known  the 
way  of  righteousness,  than,  after  they  have  known  it, 
to  turn  from  the  holy  commandment  delivered  unto  them. 

But  it  is  happened  unto  them  according  to  the  true 
proverb,  The  dog  is  turned  to  his  own  vomit  again  ;  and 
the  sow  that  was  washed  to  her  wallowing  in  the  mire. 


Compare  also  Matt.  13:20,  21;  Mark  4:16,  17;  Heb. 

93 


10 :38,  39, 


94  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Many,  like  Jesus,  tasted,  but  did  uot  drink  (Matt. 
27:34). 

It  may  not  be  so  easy  as  we  think  for  the  righteous 
man  to  go  out  of  his  way  to  backslide. 

Job  17:9: 

The  righteous  also  shall  hold  on  his  way,  and  he  that 
hath  clean  hands  shall  be  stronger  and  stronger. 

2.    Seek  to  ascertain  the  cause  of  the  backsliding. 

This  is  important,  because  the  very  thing  whicli  led 
the  inquirer  to  backslide  may  be  the  very  thing  whii  h 
is  keeping  him  from  coming  back.  All  such  obstacles 
must  be  removed.  Some  of  the  causes  of  backsliding 
are  as  follows: 

fa)  Mis-treatment  hy^  or  inconsistencies  of  ChriH- 
tians. 

Meet  this  difficulty  with 
Jer.  2:5: 

Thus  salth  the  Lord,  What  iniquity  have  your  fathers 
found  in  me,  that  they  are  gone  far  from  me,  and  have 
walked  after  vanity,  and  are  become  vain? 

Isa.  5 :4 : 

What  cQuld  have  been  done  more  to  my  vineyard,  that 
I  have  not  done  in  it?  wherefore,  when  I  looked  that  it 
should  bring  forth  grapes,  brought  it  forth  wild  grapes? 

Ask  what  wrong  God  has  done  to  them?  Why  should 
they  treat  God  so? 

(h)  It  may  he  the  indulgence  of  knoicn  sin,  or  the 
neglect  of  the  means  of  grace,  or  some  ivorldly  alliance 
that  is  the  cause  of  the  backslidden  condition. 

Be  sure  to  find  out  the  cause.  Unless  you  do,  you 
cannot  deal  with  the  case  effectually. 

In  your  dealing  with  backsliders,  you  will  find  they 
fall  into  two  classes :  the  penitent  and  the  impenitent. 


TEE  BACKSLIDER  95 

The  Penitent  Backslider. 

By  this  term  we  mean  the  backslider  who  is  sorry 
for  his  sin,  and  desires  to  return,  even  though  he  may 
feel  that  he  may  not  be  received. 

1.  Show  God's  willingness   to  receive  all  who   come   back 
to  Him. 

Luke  15:11-24— The  parable  of  the  Prodigal  Son. 
Probably  no  other  part  of  the  Scriptures  is  so  appli- 
cable and  so  winning  as  this  parable.    Use  also : 

Jer.  3:12,  13: 

Go  and  proclaim  these  words  toward  the  north,  and 
say.  Return,  thou  backsliding  Israel,  saith  the  Lord  • 
and  I  will  not  cause  mine  anger  to  fall  upon  you  •  for  I 
am  merciful,  saith  the  Lord,  and  I  will  not  keep  anser 
forever. 

Only  acknowledge  thine  iniquity,  that  thou  hast  trans- 
gressed against  the  Lord  thy  God,  and  hast  scattered 
thy  ways  to  the  strangers  under  every  green  tree,  and  ye 
have  not  obeyed  my  voice,  saith   the  Lord. 

Mark  16  :7 : 

But  go  your  way.  tell  his  disciples  and  Peter  that  he 
goeth  before  you  into  Galilee  :  there  shall  ye  see  him,  as 
he  said  unto  you. 

Recount  the  story  of  Peter's  denial,  then  show  by  this 
passage  how  Christ  sent  a  special  message  of  forgive- 
ness to  him. 

2.  Show  what  God  demands  in  order  to  effect  restoration. 

2Chron.  7:14: 

If  my  people,  which  are  called  by  my  name,  shall  humble 
themselves,  and  pray,  and  seek  my  face,  and  turn  from 
their  wicked  ways;  then  will  I  hear  from  heaven,  and 
will  forgive  their  sin,   and  will   heal   their  land. 

1  John  1 :0  : 

If  we  confess  our  sins,  he  is  faithful  and  just  to  forgive 
us  our  sins,  and  to  cleanse  us  from  all  unrighteousness. 

Also  Jer.  3:12-14;  Hosea  14:1-4. 

These  passages  show  the  inquirer  how  to  come  back 
to  God.     Obeyed,  they  bring  back  the  sense  and  con- 


96  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

sciousness  of  a  right  relationship  with  God. 

3,    It  will  be  well  to  give  instructions  as  to  how  to  grow  in 
grace,  and  not  backslide  again.    See  page  107. 

The  Impenitent  Backslider. 

Sometimes  backsliders  are  indifferent  and  obstinate, 
and  must  be  dealt  with  accordingly.  This  class  does  not 
manifest  any  sorrow  for  their  backsliding;  neither  do 
they  exhibit  any  desire  to  return  to  the  Lord  from  whom 
they  have  wandered.  Possibly  the  best  method  of  deal- 
ing with  such  inquirers  is  to  show  them  the  awful  sin 
they  have  committed  in  not  continuing  to  follow  the 
Lord,  and  what  are  the  awful,  fatal,  and  inevitable  con- 
sequences now,  and,  most  of  all,  in  the  world  to  come. 

The  following  references  reveal  these  heart-searching 
truths : 

Jer.  2 :13,  19 : 

For  my  people  have  committed  two  evils ;  they  have 
forsaken  me  the  fountain  of  living  waters,  and  hewed 
them  out  cisterns,  broljen  cisterns,  that  can  hold  no 
water. 

Thine  own  wickedness  shall  correct  thee,  and  thy 
backslidings  shall  reprove  thee ;  know  therefore  and  see 
that  it  is  an  evil  thing  and  bitter,  that  thou  hast  for- 
saken the  Lord  thy  God,  and  that  my  fear  is  not  in  thee, 
saith  the  Lord  God  of  hosts. 

1  Kings  11 :9 : 

And  the  Lord  was  angry  with  Solomon,  because  his 
heart  was  turned  from  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  which  had 
appeared  unto  him  twice. 

Amos  4  :11 : 

I  have  overthrown  some  of  you,  as  God  overthrew 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  and  ye  were  as  a  firebrand  plucked 
out  of  the  burning :  yet  have  ye  not  returned  unto  me, 
saith  the  Lord. 

Also  2  Peter  2 :20-22;  Luke  11 :24,  26 


THE  FEAEFUL  AND  DESPAIEING 


CHAPTER  X. 

VI.    THE  FEARFUL  AND  DESPAIRING. 
1.    <*I  am  afraid  I  will  be  persecuted  if  I  become  a  Christian." 

THIS  objection  is  more  general  than  we  might,  on 
first  thought,  think.  There  are,  doubtless,  many 
people  who  now  are  not  Christians,  who  would  speedily 
become  such  if  only  they  thought  they  were  strong 
enough  to  brave  the  laugh,  the  sneer,  and  the  rebuff 
of  their  worldly  companions.  Again,  this  objection  has 
great  weight  in  deciding  the  question  of  a  man's  ability 
to  courageously  face  ridicule,  which,  in  itself,  is  a 
greater  test  of  heroism  than  the  feat  of  a  Hobson  or 
a  Funston.  Many  a  man  who  has  never  hesitated 
to  take  the  front  rank  and  face  the  cannon's  mouth  in 
the  day  of  battle,  has  failed  ignominiously  when  the 
opportunity  to  witness  for  Christ  has  presented  itself 
to  him  in  the  line  of  his  everyday  duty. 

We  must  not,  therefore,  treat  this  excuse  lightly. 
On  the  contrary,  we  must  endeavor  to  point  the  in- 
quirer to  Him  who  giveth  strength  to  them  that  are 
weak  and  fearful. 

The  best  method  to  pursue  in  this  case  is  to  use  such 
passages  of  Scripture  as  show  the  folly  of  the  "fear 
of  man"  and  the  blessedness,  both  here  and  hereafter, 
for  those  who  boldly  confess  Him  before  the  world. 

This  objection  may  be  summed  up  under  four  di- 
visions : 

(a)  Those  who  are  of  mid  of  fhe  ridicule  of  their 
companions. 

99 


100  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Show  them  that  they  are  not  to  be  afraid  of  the  ridi- 
cule of  man ;  they  must  seek  to  covet  the  approval  of 
God.  Only  fatal  consequences  can  result  from  the  fear 
of  man. 

Prov.  29:25: 

The  fear  of  man  bringeth  a  snare ;  but  whoso  putteth 
his  trust  in  the  Lord  shall  be  safe. 

This  passage  shows  that  the  fear  of  man  involves 
men  in  danger  and  misfortune.  The  word  ^^fear"  in 
this  verse  means  the  regulation  of  one's  conduct  by  the 
opinion  of  morally  untrained  men.  To  thus  regulate 
one's  life  is  to  fall  into  a  snare  which  involves  the  loss 
of  the  soul.     (Also  use  Prov.  13:20.) 

Luke  12  :4,  5  : 

And  I  say  unto  you  my  friends,  Be  not  afraid  of  them 
that  kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more  that 
they  can  do. 

But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear :  Fear 
him,  which  after  he  hath  killed  hath  power  to  cast  into 
hell ;  yea,  I  say  unto  you,  Fear  him. 

Here  we  are  shown  whom  we  should  fear.  We 
should  fear  God,  who  has  the  greatest  power. 

Use  also  Isa.  51 :7,  8,  12 ;  Jer.  1 :8,  17 ;  Mark  8 :38. 

(h)  Those  who  are  afraid  they  will  lose  their  friends 
if  they  'become  Christians. 

Ofttimes  men  do  lose  friends  when  they  become 
Christians.  Without  doubt  this  fear  keeps  many  from 
accepting  Christ.  How  shall  we  deal  with  them?  In 
the  following  way : 

(1)  Show  the  inquirer  that  such  friends  are  not  wor- 
thy of  his  company,  for  they  are  enemies  of  God. 

Any  man  who  does  not  wish  a  Christian  success  is 
thereby  constituted  an  enemy  of  God.  This  is  dis- 
tinctly taught  in  James  4 :4 :. 


THE  FEARFUL  AXD  DESPAIRIXG        101 


Ye  adulterers  and  adulteresses,  know  yc  not  that  the 
friendship  of  the  world  is  enmity  with  God?  whoso- 
ever therefore  will  be  a  friend  of  the  world  is  the  enemy 
of    God. 

(2)  Show  him  that  he  gains  a  more  worthy  compan- 
ionship. 

In  the  first  place,  he  gains  the  companionship  of 
(Mirist,  and  then  tlie  companionship  of  Christian  people. 
The  inquirer,  therefore,  is  called  upon  to  make  a  choice 
of  his  company.  Who  would  not  be  willing  to  give  up 
an  earthly  friend  for  a,  heavenly  Friend — to  surrender 
the  human  for  the  divine,  the  temporal  for  the  eternal? 

(3)  Show  him  that  a  special  blessing  is  pronounced 
upon  those  who  choose  the  righteous  as  their  compan- 
ions. 

Psa.  1:1,  2: 

Blessed  is  the  man  that  walketh  not  in  the  counsel 
of  the  ungodly,  nor  standelh  in  the  way  of  sinners,  nor 
sitteth   in   the   seat   of   the   scornful. 

But  his  delight  is  in  the  law  of  the  Lord  ;  and  in  his 
law  doth  he  meditate  day   and  night- 

(c)  ^'I  icill  1)6  persecuted  hij  my  friends  if  I  lecome 
a  Christian/^ 

Do  not  deny  this  statement,  for  it  is  true. 

(1)  Show  the  inquirer  that  this  is  what  is  to  be  ex- 
pected. 

2  Tim.  3:12: 

Yea,  and  all  that  will  live  godly  in  Christ  Jesus  shall 
suffer  persecution. 

This  passage  teaches  that  everyone  bent  on  living 
godly  in  this  world  is  bound  to  suffer  persecution.  On 
the  other  hand,  the  inquirer  may  be  shown : 

(2)  That  it  is  a  great  honor  and  privilege  to  suffer 
for  Christ. 

Acts  5 :40,  41 : 

And  to  him  they  agreed :  and  when  they  had  called 
the    aoostles    and    beaten    them,    they    commanded    that 


102  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WINKIXG 

they   tihould   not   speak   in   the   name   of   Jesus,    and   let 
them   go. 

And  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council, 
rejoicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  sufiEer  shame 
for  his   name. 

Also  1  Pet.  2 :20,  21. 

(3)  The  result  of  suffering  with  Christ. 
Matt.  5 :10-12 : 

Blessed  are  they  which  are  persecuted  for  righteous- 
ness'  sake  :   for  theirs  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven. 

Blessed  are  ye,  when  men  shall  revile  you,  and  per- 
secute you,  and  shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against 
you   falsely,   for   my   sake. 

Rejoice,  and  be  exceeding  glad :  for  great  is  your  re- 
ward in  heaven :  for  so  persecuted  they  the  prophets 
which  were  before  you. 

When  men  revile  us  and  abuse  us,  we  should  exult 
and  leap  for  joy. 

(4)  Show  the  future  reward. 
2  Tim.  2 :12 : 

If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him :  if  we  deny 
him  he  also  will  deny  us. 

(d)  Shotv  the  inquirer  the  possiMlity  of  His  being 
able  to  influenee  Ms  eompanions  for  Christ. 

This  is  a  phase  of  the  subject  which  is  often  over- 
looked. 

2.    «I  am  afraid  that  if  I  start  to  he  a  Christian,  I  shall  be 
unable  to  keep  it  up;  I  am  so  weak." 

The  way  to  deal  with  this  class  of  inquirers  is  to 
use  such  passages  of  Scripture  as  shall  set  forth  the 
fact  that  the  God  w^hom  we  serve  is  able  to  deliver 
us  in  every  hour  of  temptation ;  that  our  "standing  in 
grace"  does  not  depend  upon  our  strength,  but  upon 
God's:  that  it  is  the  will  of  Christ  that  we  should  be 
more  than  conquerors  over  the  world,  the  flesh,  and 
the  devil. 


THE  FEARFUL  AXD  DESPAIRING        103 
Jude  24 : 

Now  unto  him  that  is  able  to  keep  you  from  falling, 
and  to  present  you  faultless  before  the  presence  of  his 
glory  with  exceeding  joy. 

This  passage  gives  ns  the  assurance  that  God  is  able 
to  keep  us  from  ^^stumbling.'^  (R.  V.)  We  do  not  keep 
ourselves;  God  is  our  keeper. 

1  Cor.  10:13: 

There  hath  no  temptation  taken  you  but  such  as  is 
common  to  man  :  but  God  is  faithful,  who  will  not  suffer 
you  to  be  tempted  above  that  ye  are  able  ;  but  will  with 
the  temptation  also  make  a  way  to  escape,  that  ye  may 
be  able  to  bear  it. 

What  a  grand  promise  this  is !  God  assures  us  that 
we  shall  never  be  tempted  above  what  we  are  able, 
through  His  grace,  to  bear;  that  a  way  of  escape  will 
always  be  planned  for  us  by  Him. 

The  cross  that  He  gave  may  be  heavy, 

But  it  ne'er  outweighs  His  grace; 
The  storm  that  I  feared  may  surround  me, 

But  it  ne'er  excludes  His  face. 

With  such  a  glorious  promise  as  this  who  would  fear 
to  venture  on  Christ? 

Phil.  1 :6 : 

Being  confident  of  this  very  thing,  that  he  which  hath 
begun  a  good  work  in  you  will  perform  it  until  the  day 
of  Jesus  Christ. 

What  a  confidence!  God  will  never  leave  the  w^ork 
He  has  begun  in  any  soul  unfinished.  He  who  begins 
the  work  completes  it  also.  A  finished,  completed  re- 
demption is  the  possible  possession  of  the  humblest  soul 
that  commits  itself  to  the  great  Father  in  heaven. 

Isa.  41 :10,  13,  14  : 

Fear  thou  not ;  for  I  am  with  thee ;  be  not  dismayed ; 
for  I  am  thy  God ;  I  will  strengthen  thee ;  yea,  I  will 
help  thee  ;  yea,  I  will  uphold  thee  with  the  right  hand 
of  my  righteousness. 


104  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNIXG 

For  I  the  Lord  thy  God  will  hold  thy  right  hand,  say- 
ing unto  thee,   Fear  not ;   I  will  help  thee. 

Fear  not,  thou  worm  Jacob,  and  ye  men  of  Israel ;  I 
will  help  thee,  saith  the  Lord,  and  thy  redeemer,  the 
Holy  One  of  Israel. 

Note  here  that  God  takes  hold  of  our  right  hand  with 
His  right  hand.  Who  is  able  to  pluck  us  out  of  His 
great,  strong,  mighty,  omnipotent  hand?  Not  man, 
nor  angel,  nor  devil.  Why,  then,  are  we  fearful  as  to 
what  the  issues  of  our  trusting  in  Him  will  be? 

2  Tim.  1 :12 : 

Nevertheless  I  am  not  ashamed :  for  I  know  whom  I 
have  believed,  and  am  persuadod  that  he  is  able  to  keep 
that  which  I  have  committed  unto  him  against  that  day. 

This  verse  is  the  Christianas  safety  deposit  vault. 
When  the  soul  commits  itself  to  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ 
for  safe  keeping,  there  is  no  fear  but  that  He  will 
guard  it  safely.    It  is  a  safe  investment. 

The  following  passages  also  can  be  used  to  great 
advantage : 

2  Cor.  12:9,  10;  John  17:12;  Deut.  33:27;  John  10: 
27-29. 

What  great  passages  of  Scripture  these  are!  Who 
can  measure  the  length,  the  breadth,  the  depth,  the 
height  of  their  meaning?  And  yet  all  their  fullness  of 
meaning  is  for  the  encouragement  of  the  timid,  weak, 
and  fearful  disciple. 

What  have  I  to  fear,  with  my  Lord  so  near, 
Leaning  on  the  'Everlasting  Arms'? 

3.    **I  am  afraid  Jesus  will  not  receive  me.** 

One  of  the  objections  frequently  urged  against  be- 
coming a  Christian  is  the  above.  I  have  always  found 
the  following  a  very  good  verse  to  use  with  this  class : 


THE  FEARFUL  AND  DESPAIRING        105 
John  6 :37 : 

All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me ;  and 
him  that  cometh   to  me   I  will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 

Use  it  like  this :  "Who  is  it  that  Jesus  will  not  casT 
out?-'  "Him  that  cometh."  "And  if  you  come,  what 
does  Jesus  say  He  will  do?"  "Receive  me."  "Well, 
then,  all  you  have  to  do  is  to  believe  His  Word  and 
come  to  Him." 

Use  also : 

Rev.  22 :17 : 

And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come.  And  let 
him  that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is 
athirst  come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the 
water  ol:  life  freely. 

Rom.  10:13: 

For  whosoever  shall  call  upon  the  name  of  the  Lord 
shall  be  saved. 

John  3 :16 : 

For  God  so  loved  the  world,  that  he  gave  his  only 
begotten  Son,  that  whosoever  believeth  in  him  should  not 
pei'ish,  but  have  everlasting  life. 

Ask:  "Whom  does  'whosoever'  mean?"  If  the  word 
means  anything  at  all,  it  means  "anyone."  So  anyone 
may  come. 

By  using  the  narratives  of  the  Sinful  Woman  (Luke 
7:37-50),  and  the  Prodigal  Son  (Luke  15:11-32),  you 
can  illustrate  God's  willingness  to  receive  sinners.  In 
the  following — 

Luke  15  :2 : 

And  the  Pharisees  and  scribes  munnured,  saying, 
This  man  receiveth  sinners,  and  eateth  with  them. 

w^e  have  the  definite  and  explicit  statement  that,  "this 
man  [Jesus]  receiveth  sinners."  Although  this  was 
the  statement  of  the  enemies  of  Christ,  it  is  nevertheless 
true  of  Him,  probably  doubly  so  because  of  this  fact. 


106  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNINa 

4.    **I  hare  tried  before  and  failed." 

We  need  to  have  a  great  deal  of  patience  in  dealing 
with  this  class.  It  is  very  much  harder  to  try  to  live  a 
Christian  life  after  one  has  tried  and  failed  than  to 
try  for  the  first  time.  The  Christian  worker  must  by 
no  means  overlook  this  fact.  Deal  with  this  class  in 
the  following  wa 

(a)  Assert  the  possibility  of  success. 
To  do  this,  use  2  Cor.  9 :8,  10 : 

And  God  is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  toward  you : 
that  ye,  always  having  all  sufficiency  in  all  things,  may 
abound   to   every   good   work : 

Now  he  that  ministereth  seed  to  the  sower  both  minister 
bread  for  your  food,  and  multiply  your  seed  sown,  and 
increase  the  fruits  of  your  righteousness : 

Verse  8  shows  that  God  has  the  power  to  enable  us 
to  make  a  success  of  the  Christian  life,  and,  therefore, 
shows  its  possibility.  Verse  10  shows  us  that  God  will 
do  it,  and,  therefore,  asserts  its  reality. 

(h)  Ascertain  the  cause  of  failure. 

Many  professing  Christians  have  failed  in  the  Chris- 
tian life  simply  because  they  have  not  lived  it,  or  they 
did  not  start  right.    Ask  the  following  questions : 

(1)  Did  you  absolutely  trust  in  Christ  and  in  His 
finished  work  for  your  salvation?  Did  you  depend 
upon  faith  or  upon  feeling?  Did  you  get  a  clear  vision 
of  Christ  as  your  sin-bearer?  (Isa.  53:6.) 

(2)  Did  you  absolutely  surrender  .yourself  to  Christ? 
or  did  you  keep  back  something? — did  you  retain  any 
idol  in  your  heart?  Anything  less  than  a  full  sur- 
render means  failure. 

(3)  Did  you  confess  Christ  publicly?  To  be 
ashamed  of  Christ  is  a  stepping-stone  to  failure.  An 
open  confession  lets  men  know  where  you  stand.  Many 
a  man  has  failed  in  the  Christian  life  because  he  has 
failed  to  let  people  know  where  he  stood. 


•    THE  FEARFUL  AXD  DE.'^PAIRFXa        107 

(4)  Did  you  prav  constantly?  Prayer  is  to  the  soul 
what  breathing  is  to  the  body — it  is  the  Christian's 
vital  breath. 

(5)  Did  you  study  the  Bible  daily?  Here  is  the 
fundamental  cause  of  failure.  There  must  be  a  daily 
study  of  the  Bible  if  there  is  to  be  growth  in  grace 
(Acts  17:11;  1  Pet.  2:2). 

(6)  Did  you  go  to  work  for  Christ?  Rust  is  the  wit- 
ness of  failure;  idleness  is  the  devil's  w^orkshop.  The 
probabilities  are  that,  unless  we  seek  to  lead  others  to 
Christ,  we  will  lose  our  grip  on  Christ  ourselves. 

It  may  be  found  from  the  above  questions  that  the 
inquirer  has  tried  to  live  a  Christian  life,  but  not  the 
Christian  life. 

(c)  Give  instructions  as  to  hoiv  to  make  a  success 
of  the  Christian  life. 

It  is  much  better  to  lead  one  soul  into  a  place  of  suc- 
cess in  the  Christian  life  than  to  deal  with  half  a  dozen 
in  an  inadequate  manner.  We  must  realize  the  danger 
of  backsliding.  Satan  is  active  in  every  man's  life, 
more  so  after  a  man's  conversion  than  before.  The  fol- 
lowing scriptures  will  be  helpful  in  pointing  the  way 
of  success : 

(1)  Make  a  full  surrender  (Rom.  12:1,  14,  20-22). 

(2)  Prayer  (Luke  18:1;  Matt.  26:41). 

(3)  Constant  reading  of  the  Bible  (Acts  17:11;  20: 
32;  1  Pet.  2:2). 

(4)  Faithfulness  to  the  church  and  its  ordinances 
(Heb.  10:25;  Acts  2:41-47). 

(5)  Go  to  work  for  Christ  (John  1:41-45;  Matt.  20: 
1-16). 

5.    "I  haye  sinned  away  the  day  of  grace.** 

Just  what  the  inquirer  means  by  this  statement  is 
not  always  clear.  This  the  worker  must  find  out. 
^yhatever  may  be  meant  by  it,  a  sad  spiritual  condition 


108  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXXTXG 

is   thereby   indicated,   and   very   tender   and   delicate 
treatment  is  needed. 

(a)  Find  out  what  he  means  hy  the  statement. 

Usnallv  the  inquirer  means  that  he  has  gone  by  ^Tast 
Redemption  Point" ;  sinned  so  grievously,  willfully,  per- 
sistently against  light  and  knowledge  that  there  is  no 
further  hope  for  him. 

These  statements  are  usually  made  because  of  his 
misunderstanding  of  some  passages  of  Scripture — the 
following,  for  example: 

Gen.  6  :3 : 

My  Spirit  shall  not  always  strive  with  man. 

He  infers  from  this  passage  that  there  is  a  time 
when  the  Spirit  of  God  ceases  to  strive  with  a  man, 
and  leaves  him  to  his  doom.  This  is  a  false  interpre- 
tation, for  this  verse  deals  with  the  race  and  not  with 
an  individual;  again,  it  deals  with  the  continuation, 
and  not  with  the  cutting  off — ''his  days  shall  be  a  hun- 
dred and  twenty  years" — of  the  probation  period  of 
the  human  race;  indeed,  the  length  of  the  life  of  the 
individual  is  not  in  the  question  here;  and,  further, 
the  verse  indicates  that  nothing  but  the  cessation  of 
the  human  race  would  put  an  end  to  the  striving  of  the 
Spirit. 

Heb.  6 :4-6 : 


For  it  is  impossible  for  those  who  were  once  enlight- 
ened, and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were 
made  partakers   of   the   Holy   Ghost, 

And  have  tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the 
powers  of  the  world  to  come, 

If  they  shall  fall  away,  to  renew  them  again  unto 
repentance ;  seeing  they  crucify  to  themselves  the  Son 
of   God  afresh,  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame. 


THE  FEARFUL  AND  DESPAIRING        109 


Heb.  10  :26 : 

For  if  we  sin  willfully  after  that  we  have  received  the 
knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more  sacri- 
fice for  sins. 

These  scriptures  also  are  used  to  buttress  the  cause 
of  the  despairing.  A  careful  reading  of  these  passages 
in  the  Revised  Version  would  remove  this  erroneous 
interpretation.  The  first  of  these  two  scriptures 
teaches  that  it  is  ^Mmpossible  to  renew"  those  described 
in  these  verses,  not  under  ani/  condition,  but  only  ^^tJie 
ivhile  they  are  crucifying  the  Son  of  God  afresh/'  etc. 
How  can  you  save  any  man  who  is  deliberately  turning 
his  back  on  the  cross  of  Christ?  The  latter  passage 
(10:26)  does  not  teach  that  a  man  who  was  once  a 
Christian  and  has  sinned  willfully  since  he  became  such 
has  no  further  hope  of  forgiveness.  It  teaches  that, 
if  a  man  who  has  once  seen  in  the  cross  of  Christ  his 
only  hope  of  salvation,  deliberately  turns  away  from 
that  cross,  then  there  is  ^^no  other/'  or  "any  more  a 
[or  another]  sacrifice  for  sin." 

In  dealing  with  this  class  be  very  slow  to  believe  that 
such  a  condition  as  being  beyond  hope,  actually  ex- 
ists— at  least  in  a  soul  that  is  at  all  concerned  about 
the  matter. 

(h)  Sucli  passages  as  the  following  may  he  used  to 
shoi(}  that  all  are  welcome  to  come  to  Christ. 

John  6 :37 : 

All  that  the  Father  giveth  me  shall  come  to  me ;  and 
him  that  cometh  to  me  I   will  in  no  wise  cast  out. 

Rev.  22:17: 

And  the  Spirit  and  the  bride  say,  Come.  And  let  him 
that  heareth  say,  Come.  And  let  him  that  is  athirst 
come.  And  whosoever  will,  let  him  take  the  water  of 
life   freely. 

Also  Rom.  10:13: 


110  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WIXXIXG 

If  the  inquirer  points  to  Heb.  12 :17 : 

For  ye  know  how  that  aftenvard,  when  he  would  have 
inherited  the  blessing,  he  was  rejected  :  for  he  found  no 
place  of  repentance,  though  he  sought  it  carefully 
with   tears. 

as  indicating  the  possibility  of  there  being  a  time  when 
a  man  cannot  repent,  jou  may  draw  his  attention  to 
the  fact  that  this  verse  has  nothing  to  say  with  refer- 
ence to  a  man's  relation  to  God;  it  speaks  only  of 
Esau's  inability  to  change  the  mind  of  his  father  with 
reference  to  the  stolen  blessing. 


6.    "I  haye  committed  the  unpardonable  sin — the  sin  against 
the  Holy  Ghost." 

This  excuse  is  based  upon  the  following  passages : 

Matt.  12 :30-32 : 

He  that  is  not  with  me  is  against  me ;  and  he  that 
gathereth  not  with  me  scattereth  abroad. 

Wherefore  I  say  unto  you,  All  manner  of  sin  and 
blasphemy  shall  be  forgiven  unto  men :  but  the  blas- 
phemy against  the  Holy  Ghost  shall  not  be  forgiven 
unto  men. 

And  whosoever  speaketh  a  word  against  the  Son  of 
man,  it  shall  be  forgiven  him :  but  whosoever  speaketh 
against  the  Holy  Ghost,  it  shall  not  be  forgiven  him, 
neither   in   this   world,   neither   in   the   world   to   come. 

Compare  Mark  3 :28-30 : 
1   John  5:16: 

If  any  man  see  his  brother  sin  a  sin  which  is  not 
unto  death,  he  shall  ask,  and  he  shall  give  him  life  for 
them  that  sin  not  unto  death.  There  is  a  sin  unto  death  : 
1  do  not  say  that  he  shall  pray  for  it. 

(a)  Try  to  find  out  from  the  inquirer  ivhat  he  means 
by  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost. 

You  will  find  that  in  almost  every  case  he  will  not  be 
able  to  define  it.  It  might  seem  therefore  as  though 
it  were  not  necessary  to  deal  with  a  sin  that  is  not 
definable.  And  possibly  that  is  right.  It  is  much 
better  to  get  the  inquirer^s  mind  away  from  the  sin  he 


THE  FEARFUL  AND  DESPAIRING        111 

thinks  he  has  committed  and  fix  it  on  those  passages 
of  Scripture  which  hold  out  forgiveness  for  "all  man- 
ner of  sin  and  blasphemy." 

1  Tim.  1  :lo,  16,  with  1 :13  : 

This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all  accept- 
ation, that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the  world  to  save 
sinnei's  ;  of  whom  I  am  chief. 

Howbeit  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that  in  me 
first  Jesus  Christ  might  show  forth  all  longsuffering. 
for  a  pattern  to  them  which  should  hereafter  believe  on 
him   to   life   everlasting. 

Who  was  before  a  blasphemer,  and  a  persecutor,  and 
injurious :  but  I  obtained  mercy,  because  I  did  it  igno- 
rantly  in  unbelief. 

These  verses  show  that,  although  Paul  was  a  blas- 
phemer, he  nevertheless  obtained  forgiveness.  Further, 
his  forgiveness  is  an  encouragement  to  all  others,  who, 
having  seen  the  aAvfulness  of  the  sin  of  blasphemy,  de- 
sire to  repent. 

1  John  5:16  (above)  does  not  speak  of  a  specific  sin 
for  which  there  is  no  forgiveness.  The  Revised  Version 
leaves  out  the  word  "a,"  and  translates  the  verse, 
''There  is  sin  unto  death."  This  might  seem  to  imply 
that  this  sin  is  a  state  rather  than  an  act. 

(h)  Use  the  following  scriptures  to  show  the  willing- 
ness of  Christ  to  receive  and  forgive  all  those  who  come 
to  Him. 

John  6:37;  Rev.  22:17;  Acts  13:38,  39;  Rom,  10:13. 

(For  full  quotation  of  these  passages  see  under  5,  h.) 

7.    "It  is  too  late  now  for  me  to  become  a  Christian." 

This  excuse  is  based  on  a  wrong  interpretation  of 
Proverbs  1 :24-31.  Emphasize  the  fact  that  those  who 
call,  in  these  verses,  are  calling  from  wrong  motives. 

Show  them  from  the  following  passages  that  it  is  not 
too  late;  that,  on  the  contrary,  it  is  the  proper  time. 


112  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 


2  Cor.  6:2: 

For  he  saith,  I  have  heard  thee  in  a  time  accepted, 
and  in  the  dav  of  salvation  have  I  succoured  thee ;  be- 
hold, now  is  the  accepted  time ;  behold,  now  is  the  day 
of  salvation. 

Heb.  4  :7 : 

Again,  he  limiteth  a  certain  day,  saying  in  David.  To- 
day, after  so  long  a  time ;  as  it  is  said,  To-day  if  ye 
will   hear  his  voice,   harden  not  your  hearts. 


Also  Deut.  4 :29-31. 


THE  PEOCEASTINATOE 


CHAPTER  XI. 


VII.    THE  PROCRABTIXATOR. 

THOSE  who  desire  to  put  off  their  salvation  until 
another  time  form  a  very  numerous  class,  and 
one  very  difficult  to  deal  with.  There  is,  seemingly,  to 
the  one  offering  it,  less  guilt  connected  with  this  ex- 
cuse than,  for  example,  with  one  that  borders  on  the 
nature  of  unbelief.  For  this  reason  many  people  put 
off  their  salvation  until  it  is  too  late.  Either  they  are 
cut  off  suddenly  or  they  are  so  racked  with  pain  or 
lulled  by  drugs  that  the  time  they  had  set  aside  for 
settling  the  affairs  of  the  soul  does  not  come  in  a  pro- 
I)itious  way.  It  is  with  them  as  it  was  with  Nebuchad- 
nezzar's image :  the  lower  the  members,  the  coarser  the 
metal ;  the  farther  off  the  tinte,  the  more  unfit.  "Today 
is  the  golden  opportunity ;  tomorrow  will  be  the  silver 
season;  next  day  but  the  brazen  one;  and  so  on,  till 
at  last  I  shall  come  to  the  toes  of  clay,  and  be  turned 
to  dust.''  The  Biblical  Treasury  furnishes  the  follow- 
ing story : 

"A  minister  of  the  Gospel  determined  on  one  occa- 
sion to  preach  on  the  text,  'Now  is  the  accepted  time; 
now  is  the  day  of  salvation.'  Whilst  in  his  study 
thinking,  he  fell  asleep,  and  dreamed  that  he  was  car- 
ried into  hell,  and  set  down  in  the  midst  of  a  conclave 
of  lost  spirits.  They  were  assembled  to  devise  means 
whereby  they  might  get  at  the  souls  of  men.  One  rose 
and  said,  'I  will  go  to  the  earth  and  tell  men  that  the 
Bible  is  all  a  fable,  that  it  is  not  divinely  appointed  of 
God.'  No,  that  would  not  do.  Another  said,  'Let  me 
go.    I  will  tell  men  that  there  is  no  God,  no  Saviour, 

115 


116  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

no  heaven,  no  hell';  and  at  the  last  words  a  fiendish 
smile  lighted  upon  all  their  countenances.  'No,  that 
will  not  do;  we  cannot  make  men  believe  tfiat/  Sud- 
denly one  arose,  and  with  a  wise  mien,  like  the  serpent 
of  old,  suggested,  'No,  I  will  journey  to  the  world  of 
men,  and  tell  them  that  there  is  a  God,  that  there  is  a 
Saviour,  that  there  is  a  heaven, — yes,  and  a  hell,  too, — 
but  I  will  tell  them  there  is  no  hurry;  tomorrow  will 
do;  it  will  be  even  as  today.'  And  they  sent  him." 
This  excuse  assumes  different  forms: 

1.    <^I  want  to  get  established  in  business  first:  after  that 
I  will  be  a  Christian." 

The  following  passages  are  good  to  use  with  this 

class : 

Matt.  6 :33 : 

But  seek  ye  first  the  kingdom  of  God,  and  his  righteous- 
ness ;  and  all  these  things  shall  be  added  unto  you. 

Show  from  this  verse  that  the  first  business  of  every 
man  is  to  settle  his  interests  with  reference  to  his  re- 
lation to  the  kingdom  of  God. 

Also  Luke  12 :16-21— The  Rich  Fool. 

This  parable  shows  the  utter  folly  as  well  as  the 
awful  doom  of  those  who  seek  to  be  established  in  busi- 
ness before  religion.  What  did  his  being  established 
in  business  profit  him?  He  "gained  the  world,"  but 
"lost  his  soul."  Apply  this  story  to  the  case  you  have 
in  hand  something  like  this:  "Suppose  3'ou  do  get  es- 
tablished in  business,  what  assurance  have  you,  more 
than  this  rich  fool  had,  that  you  will  have  the  time,  or 
even  the  desire  to  turn  to  God  and  seek  for  salvation  ?" 

James  4  :13-17 : 

Go  to  now,  ye  that  say.  Today  or  tomorrow  we  will 
go  into  such  a  city,  and  continue  there  a  year,  and  buy 
and  sell,   and  get  gain: 


THE  PROCRASTINATOR  117 

Whereas  ye  know  not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow. 
For  what  is  your  life?  It  is  even  a  vapour,  that  ap- 
peareth  for  a   little   time,   and   then  vanisheth  away. 

For  that  ye  ought  to  say.  If  the  Lord  will,  we  shall  live, 
and  do  this,   or  that. 

But  now  ye  re.ioice  in  your  boastings :  all  such  re- 
joicing is  evil. 

Therefore  to  him  that  knoweth  to  do  good,  and  doeth 
it  not,   to  him   it  is   sin. 

Show  from  this  that  a  man  may  be  cut  off  right  in 
the  midst  of  his  seeking  to  establish  himself  in  busi- 
ness; that  a  really  thoughtful  man  ought  to  look  after 
the  interests  of  his  soul  at  once,  inasmuch  as  he  ''knows 
not  what  shall  be  on  the  morrow."  God  should  be  put 
first — "if  God  will,"  etc.;  not  last,  as  in  the  case  of  the 
rich  fool. 

2.    **I  will  wait  until  I  get  older,  then  I  will  become  a  Chris- 
tian." 

Use  Eccl.  12:1,  2  with  2  Sam.  19:35,  and  Heb.  3:13 
(given  in  order  below)  : 

Remember  now  thy  Creator  in  the  days  of  thy  youth, 
while  the  evil  days  come  not,  nor  the  years  draw  nigh, 
when  thou  shalt  say.   I  have  no  pleasure  in  them  ; 

While  the  sun,  or  the  light,  or  the  moon,  or  the  stars, 
be  not  darkened,   nor  the  clouds   return  after  the  rain. 

I  am  this  day  fourscore  years  old ;  and  can  I  discern 
between  good  and  evil?  can  thy  servant  taste  what  I 
eat  or  what  I  drink?  can  I  hear  any  more  the  voice 
of  singing  men  and  singing  women?  wherefore  then 
should  thy  servant  be  yet  a  burden  unto  my  lord  the 
king? 

But  exhort  one  another  daily,  while  it  is  called  Today  ; 
lest  any  of  you  be  hardened  through  the  deceitfulness 
of  sin. 

These  verses  show  clearly  that  the  longer  one  waits 
before  giving  his  heart  to  God,  the  harder  his  heart 
becomes,  and  the  more  difficult  it  is  for  him  to  become 
a  Christian.  The  young  and  tender  years  are  the  years 
wherein  one  should  seek  to  know  the  Lord.  The 
worker  may  endeavor  to  show  the  contemptibleness  of 
throwing  away  the  best  years  of  one's  life  in  the  service 
of  Satan  and  sin,  and  then  offering  the  very  end  of  it, 
the  which,  probably,  is  of  no  use  to  him  or  anybody 
else,  to  God.      If  he  will  not  give  himself  to  God  in 


118  PERSONAL  SOULWINXIXG 

^'the  green  tree,"  the  odds  are  against  his  doing  it  ''in 
the  dr3\"  Why  have  a  life  wasted  and  a  soul  saved, 
when  you  can  have  both  life  and  soul  saved  and  useful 
in  the  service  of  the  kingdom  of  God? 

3.    **I  am  determined  to  become  a  Christian  before  I  die." 

Show  from  the  following  passages  that  this  position 
is  a  false  one,  and  for  these  reasons : 

No  man  knows  when  he  is  going  to  die;  no  man 
"knoweth  the  day  of  his  death." 

Prov.  29:1: 

He,  that  being  often  reproved  hardeneth  his  neck,  shall 
suddenly   be  destroyed,    and   that   without   remedy. 

Also  Job  34  :20,  and  Luke  12 :20 ;  James  4  :13-17. 

He  may  die  "suddenly,"  ''in  a  moment,"  "this  night." 
Who  knows?  What  utter  folly,  therefore,  to  put  off 
so  important  a  matter  until  so  uncertain  a  date. 
Draw  the  attention  to  the  sudden  deaths  occurring 
around  him  daily.  Ask  him  if  he  does  not  recall  such 
within  his  own  knowledge? 

Again,  this  position  is  a  false  one  because  it  assumes 
that  a  man  will  surely  call,  or  feel  like  calling  upon 
God  in  the  last  hours  of  his  life,  which,  of  course,  is 
by  no  means  the  case.  This  may  be  proved  by  referring 
to  the  story  of  the  impenitent  thief  (Luke  23:39),  who 
used  his  last  breath  to  rail  upon  Jesus  Christ.  It  is 
all  very  well  for  people  to  draw  our  attention  to  the 
fact  that  the  dying  thief  was  saved  in  the  last  hour; 
they  seem  to  forget  that  the  other  dying  thief  was  lost 
in  the  last  hour.  The  probabilities  are  that  we  will 
die  as  we  have  lived.  Deathbed  repentances  are  by  no 
means  to  be  depended  upon.  Every  pastor  will  bear 
testimony  to  the  truth  of  this  statement.  Repentances 
during  the  last  hours  of  life  are  prompted  by  fear  very 
largely — a  fear  shown  to  be  anything  but  the  right 


THE  PROCRAkSTIXATOR  119 

kiud  of  fear,  and  Boon  forgotten  in  case  the  sick  person 
is  raised  up  from  wliat  seemed  for  a  time  to  be  his 
deathbed.  In  these  days  of  anaesthetics  it  is  almost 
impossible  for  one  to  die  in  possession  of  his  full  senses. 
How  then  can  a  man  attend  to  the  matters  of  the  soul 
which  require  thoughtful  attention?  And  then,  sud- 
den death  may  overtake  us,  and  thus  we  may  be  robbed 
of  a  deathbed  upon  which  to  repent. 

Use  the  following  passages,  and  question  the  inquirer 
on  the  truth  contained  in  them  touching  his  particular 
case : 

Isa.  55:6: 

Seek  ye  the  Lord  while  he  may  be  found,  call  yc  upon 
him  while  he  is  near. 

Luke  13 :24,  25 : 

strive  to  enter  in  at  the  strait  gate ;  for  many,  I 
say  unto  you,  will  seek  to  enter  in,  and  shall  not  be 
able. 

When  once  the  master  of  the  house  is  risen  up.  and 
hath  shut  to  the  door,  and  ye  be8:in  to  stand  without, 
and  to  knock  at  the  door,  saying,  Lord,  Lord,  open  unto 
us ;  and  he  shall  answer  and  say  unto  you,  I  know  you 
not  whence  ye  are. 

Use  also,  if  necessary,  Prov.  1:28  (context,  vs.  24- 
31)  ;  2  Cor.  6:2;  Prov.  27:1;  Heb.  4:7;  12:17. 

There  is  a  time,  we  know  not  when, 

A   place,   we   know   not   where; 
Which  marks  the  destiny  of  men 

To  glory  or  despair. 

There  is  a  line,  by  us  unseen, 

^Vhich   crosses   every   path, 
Which  marks  the  boundary  between 

God's  mercy  and  his  wrath. 

To  pass  that  limit  is  to  die, 

To  die  as  if  by  stealth; 
It  does  not  dim  the  beaming  eye, 

Nor  pale  the  glow  of  health. 

The  conscience  may  be  still  at  ease, 

The  spirit  light  and  gay; 
And  that  which  pleases  still  may  please, 

And  care  be  thrust  away. 


120  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXXIXa 

But  on  that  forehead  God  hath  set 

Indelibly  a  mark; 
Unseen  by  man,  for  man  as  yet, 

Is  blind  and  in  the  dark. 

He  feels  perchance  that  all  is  well 

And  every  fear  is  calmed; 
He  lives,  he  dies,  he  wakes  in  hell. 

Not  only  doomed,  but  damned! 

O,  where  is  that  mysterious  line 

That  may  by  men  be  crossed, 
Beyond  which  God  himself  hath  sworn, 

That  he  who  goes  is  lost? 

An  answer  from  the  skies  repeats, 

"Ye  who  from  God  depart," 
TODAY,  O  hear  His  voice. 

TODAY    repent    and    harden    not    your    heart. 

— Joseph  Addison  Alexander. 


THE  FAULT-FINDING 


CHAPTER  Xn. 


VIII.     THE  FAULT-FINDING. 

EVER  since  the  days  when  the  Apostle  Paul  cried 
out,  ''Is  God  unrighteous?"  or  "Is  there  unright- 
eousness with  God?"  have  some  of  the  sons  of  men  been 
answering  affirmatively  the  question  which  the  apostle 
answered  negatively.  ''God  is  not  unrighteous,"  and 
men  must  be  made  to  understand  this.  We  must  not,  as 
Job's  friends  did,  attribute  folly  to  God.  We  must 
say  to  Him,  "Arise,  O  God,  plead  Thine  own  cause: 
remember  how  foolish  man  reproacheth  Thee  daily." 
Yet,  it  is  true,  that  these  gainsayers,  these  men  "who 
speak  evil  of  the  things  they  understand  not,"  must  be 
dealt  with  and  reproved  by  the  Christian  worker.  God 
beseeches  men  through  us. 

This  general  class  of  objectors  states  its  case  in 
varied  aspects,  viz. : 

Those  Who  Find  Fault  With  God. 

1.    "It  is  unjust  of  God  to  create  men  and  then  condemn 
them.'' 

What  shall  we  say  to  this  charge  against  God?  and 
how  shall  we  answer  it  ?  "To  the  law  and  to  the  testi- 
mony," we  must  resort  for  our  weapons,  for  this  war- 
fare is  not  carnal  but  spiritual.  We  must  take  "the 
sword  of  the  Spirit,  which  is  the  Word  of  God." 

(a)  Use  such  passages  as  show  God's  purpose  in 
creation. 

123 


124  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Isa.  43 :7 : 

Even  every  one  that  is  called  by  my  name :  for  I  have 
created  him  for  my  glory,  I  have  formed  him ;  yea,  I 
have  made  him. 

Also  Rev.  4  :11 ;  Psa.  102 :18,  and  Isa.  65 :18. 

It  is  very  clearly  stated  in  these  passages  that  God 
did  not  create  man  in  order  to  damn  him,  but,  on  the 
contrary,  that  he  might  live  to  be  a  perpetual  praise 
and  find  unending  glory  and  blessing  in  the  presence 
of  God.  Everlasting  joy  and  bliss,  therefore,  char- 
acterize the  creative  purposes  of  God  for  man. 

(h)  SJiotv  from  the  Scriptures  that  all  God's  deal- 
ings with  man  point  to  His  declared  intention  and  de- 
sire that  man  sliould  he  saved,  not  lost, 

Ezek.  33 :11 : 

Say  unto  them,  As  I  live,  saith  the  Lord  God,  I  have 
no  pleasure  in  the  death  of  the  wicked ;  but  that  the 
wicked  turn  from  his  way  and  live :  turn  ye,  turn  ye 
from  your  evil  ways ;  for  why  will  ye  die,  O  house  of 
Israel? 

John  3:16,  17;  2  Pet.  3:9,  and  also  Matt.  23:37. 

Can  God's  attitude  of  loving  solicitude  for  man's 
eternal  salvation  he  more  cleai'ly  and  earnestly  de- 
clared than  in  these  words?  Does  it  look  as  though 
God  wanted  to  damn  or  to  save  men?  Consider  the 
price  the  Father  paid,  the  sufferings  the  Son  endured, 
that  man  might  be  saved  from  eternal  despair,  and  then 
understand  how  awfully  wicked  it  is  to  charge  God 
with  such  injustice. 

(c)  Show  them  that,  if  they  are  eternally  lost,  it  is 
because  of  their  wilful  rejection  of  God's  tcay  of  life 
as  revealed  in  the  worJc  of  Christ, 

Matt.  23 :37 : 

O  Jerusalem.  Jerusalem,  thou  that  klllest  the  prophets, 
and  stonest  them  which  are  sent  unto  thee,  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  even  as  a 


THE  FAULT-FINDING  125 

hen    galhereth    her    chickens    under    her    wings,    and    ye 
would  not ! 

Also  John  5:40;  2  Thess.  2:12,  and  Matt  25:41. 

We  learn  from  these  passages  that,  if  men  are  lost, 
it  is  because  they  deliberately  choose  to  be  lost,  know- 
ingly and  willfully  rejecting  their  only  hope  of  salva- 
tion in  the  redemption  of  Jesus  Christ.  Just  as  the 
rich  man  tumbled  into  hell,  kicking  the  poor  body  of 
Lazarus  which  had  been  laid  at  his  gate  to  keep  him 
from  such  a  doom,  so  the  man  who  has  the  misfortune 
to  awake  and  find  himself  among  the  lost  in  the  other 
world  will  realize  that  he  finds  himself  in  hell  because 
he  deliberately  stumbled  over  the  crucified  body  of 
Jesus  Christ,  placed,  as  it  were,  at  the  very  mouth  of 
hell,  to  keep  him  out  of  such  a  place  of  torment.  It 
is  not  God's  creative  purpose,  but  sinful  man's  perver- 
sion, that  is  the  cause  of  his  condemnation. 

2.    **God  has  not  clearly  reyealed  Himself  to  man." 

There  are  some  people  who  say,  ''Why  has  not  God 
clearly  revealed  Himself  to  man  so  that  he  may  know 
who  and  what  God  is,  and  what  He  expects  of  His 
creatures?  An  earthly  father  would  not  punish  his 
child  for  not  doing  his  will  when  he  had  not  had  that 
will  made  known  to  him,  nor  should  God."  Nor  does 
He.  God  never  asks  the  impossible  from  His  children. 
He  asks  obedience  up  to  the  light  they  possess. 

(a)  Shotv  the  oljector  that  God  has  revealed  Him- 
self and  His  icill  to  men. 

Rom.  1 :18-20 : 

For  the  wrath  of  God  is  revealed  from  heaven  against 
all  ungodliness  and  unrighteousness  of  men,  who  hold 
the  truth   in  unrighteousness ; 

Because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest 
in   them ;   for   God  hath   shewed   it   unto   them. 

For  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of 
the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head ;  so  that  they  are  without  excuse. 


126  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Also  1  Cor.  2 :12  and  John  1 :0. 

(h)  God  has  revealed  Himself  to  man  in  Christ. 

John  1 :18 : 

No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time  ;  the  only  begotten 
Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath  declared 
him. 

Also  Matt.  11:27;  2  Cor.  5:19,  and  John  14:9. 

(c)  Shoio  that  sin  and  disobedience  Ticep  man  in  ig- 
norance of  God. 

2  Cor.  4  :.3,  4  : 

But  if  our  gospel  be  hid,  it  is  hid  to  them  that  are  lost : 

In  whom  the  god  of  this  world  hath  blinded  the  minds 

of  them  which  believe  not,  lest  the  light  of  the  glorious 

gospel  of  Christ,  who  is  the  image  of  God,  should  shine 

unto  them. 

Also  Rom.  1:21,  John  7:17,  and  Isa.  59:1,  2. 

After  all,  onr  ignorance  of  God  is  due  to  our  unlike- 
ness  to  Him.  Our  sins  have  hid  His  face  from  us. 
Not  only  is  it  true  that  ignorance  is  sin,  but  it  is  also 
true  that  sin  is  ignorance. 

(d)  Shoiv  that  icHUngncss  to  obey  the  will  of  God 
ivill  Irlng  further  revelation. 

John  7:17: 

If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the  doc- 
trine, whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of  myself. 

Also  Hosea  6:3. 

Those  Who  Find  Fault  With  the  Bible. 

Objection  to  the  Word  of  God  finds  its  expression 
in  various  ways : 

1.    *^The  Bible  is  foolishness." 

In  dealing  with  this  class  of  objectors  it  is  a  good 
thing  to  say :  ''You  are  right,  my  friend,  for  that  is 


THE  FAULT-FIXDIXG  127 

just  what  the  Bible  itself  says."     Theu  you  may  find 
1  Cor.  1 :18,  23,  24 : 

For  the  preaching  of  the  cross  is  to  them  that  perish 
foolishness ;  but  unto  us  which  are  saved  it  is  the  power 
of  God. 

But  we  preach  Christ  crucified,  unto  the  Jews  a  stum- 
blingblock,    and   unto   the  Greelis  foolishness. 

But  unto  them  which  are  called,  both  Jews  and  Greeks, 
Christ  the  power  of  God,  and  the  wisdom  of  God. 

Get  him  to  read  these  verses  for  himself.  Ask  him, 
"^To  whom  is  the  Bible  and  the  preaching  of  the  cross 
foolishness?"  To  those  who  are  perishing  in  sin.  To 
the  one  who  receives  it,  it  is  "the  power  of  God  and 
the  wisdom  of  God.'' 

Show  him  further,  1  Cor.  2  :14. 

Here  it  is  the  ''natural/'  i.  e.,  the  soulish,  fleshly, 
worldly,  sinning  man  to  whom  the  Bible  is  foolishness ; 
the  fault  is  not  with  the  Bible,  but  with  the  man's  sin. 

By  the  use  of  Isa.  5  :24,  show  him  the  penalty  of  thus 
rejecting  the  Word  of  the  Lord. 

2.    "The  Bible  is  full  of  contradictious.'' 

Ask  him  to  show  you  one.  You  will  find  that  the 
man  who  growls  most  about  the  contradictions  in  the 
Bible  is  not  able  to  show  you  one.  A  Christian  worker, 
in  an  inquiry  room,  was  addressed  thus  by  one  of  these 
blatant  infidels:  ''Don't  talk  to  me  about  your  religion 
and  your  Bible,  for  I  don't  believe  them.  That  Bible 
you  have  in  jonv  hand  is  full  of  contradictions;  why 
should  I  then  believe  it?"  The  worker  feigned  sur- 
prise and  timidity,  and  said :  "Well,  that  is  news  to 
me ;  I  am  not  aware  that  there  are  any  contradictions 
in  the  Bible.''  ''Yes,  there  are,"  said  the  infidel,  w^ax- 
ing  bold  at  the  timidity  of  the  worker  and  the  increas- 
ing interest  of  the  onlookers,  "I  could  show  you  scores 
of  them ;  the  Bible  is  full  of  them."  This  was  just  the 
point  the  worker  desired  to  bring  the  infidel  to  in  order 
to  justly  humiliate  him.    ''Then/'  said  the  worker,  with 


128  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNlNa 

the  suddenness  and  force  of  an  avalanche,  "yon  can 
surely  show  me  one/^  And  suiting  the  action  to  the 
word,  he  handed  the  infidel  the  Bible,  repeating  the 
challenge,  "You  say  there  are  scores  of  contradictions 
in  the  Bible,  show  me  just  one/'  Suffice  it  to  say,  he 
could  not.  You  can  afford  to  challenge  such  an  ob- 
jector with  the  same  test.  Even  if  there  were  contra- 
dictions in  the  Bible,  such  a  man  is  not  the  one  to  be 
in  possession  of  the  knowledge. 

A  good  verse  to  use  with  such  persons  is,  2  Pet.  2 :12 : 

But  these,  as  natural  brute  beasts,  made  to  be  taken 
and  destroyed,  speak  evil  of  the  things  that  they  under- 
stand not ;  and  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  cor- 
ruption. 

3.    **The  Bible  is  an  impure  book." 

It  is  difficult  to  know  how  one  can  make  such  a 
charge  against  a  book  that  has  done  more  for  the  pro- 
duction of  purity  of  character  than  any  other  force  in 
the  world.  The  best  and  purest  characters  in  the 
world  are  lovers  and  constant  readers  of  the  Bible. 

It  is  sufficient,  so  far  as  the  allegation  itself  is  con- 
cerned, to  label  it  as  a  lie.  But  the  inquirer  must 
be  dealt  with.  His  sincerity  may  be  instantly  ques- 
tioned.   He  is  in  need  of  a  straight  talk. 

Show  him  Psa.  12:6,  and  119:140: 

The  words  of  the  Lord  are  pure  words :  as  silver  tried 
in   a   furnace   of   earth,    purified   seven    times. 
Thy  word  is  very  pure :  therefore  thy  servant  loveth  it. 

Also  Prov.  30 :5. 

From  these  passages  we  learn  that  the  Bible  is  a 
pure  book — pure  from  the  beginning  to  the  end. 

It  is  a  good  thing  to  send  an  arrow  of  conviction 
into  the  soul  of  the  objector,  and  show  him  where 
the  real  cause  of  the  trouble  lies.  This  may  be  done 
by  using  Prov.  30:12.    Also 


THE  FAULTFINDINO  129 


Titus  1 :15 : 


Unto  the  pure  all  things  are  pure :  but  unto  them 
that  are  defiled  and  unbelieving  is  nothing  pure ;  but 
even   their   mind   and   conscience   is    defiled. 

and  2  Tet.  2  :11,  12. 

The  impurit}^  lies  not  in  the  Bible,  but  in  his  own 
wicked  heart. 

4.    **Tlie  Bible  is  a  mere  human  book." 

One  of  the  best  passages  in  the  Bible  to  use  in  deal- 
ing with  this  class  is 

1  Thess.  2 :13 : 

For  this  cause  also  thank  we  God  without  ceasing,  be- 
cause, when  ye  received  the  word  of  God  which  ye 
heard  of  us,  ye  received  it  not  as  the  word  of  men,  but, 
as  it  is  in  truth,  the  word  of  God,  which  effectually 
worketh  also  in  you  that  believe. 

It  is  here  definitely  stated  that  the  Bible  is  not  the 
word  of  man,  but  the  Word  of  the  living  God. 

2  Pet.  1 :20,  21 : 

Knowing  this  first,  that  no  prophecy  of  the  scripture 
is  of  any  p'rivate  interpretation. 

For  the  prophecy  came  not  in  old  time  by  the  will  of 
man :  but  holy  men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved 
by  the  Holy  Ghost. 

It  is  clear  from  the  context  that  this  passage  refers 
to  the  origin  rather  than  to  the  exposition  of  the 
Scriptures.  The  Bible  is  not  a  mere  x>roduct  of  the 
human  mind. 

2  Tim.  3 :16  shows  us  that  the  Bible  is  the  result  of 
divine  inbreathing. 

Those    Who    Find     Fault    With     Christians    and 
Church  Members. 

One  of  the  most  frequent  excuses  offered  in  the  in- 
quiry room  is  this  one  which  finds  its  basis   in  the 


130  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIlSNiyG 

inconsistency   of  professing  Christians.       It  assumes 
various  forms,  as  for  example : 

1.    "There  are  too  many  hypocrites  in  the  church.** 

How  shall  we  meet  this  objection?  Admit  its  truth, 
for  it  is  undoubtedly  true.  Ofttimes  the  admission 
comes  with  such  unexpectedness  to  the  inquirer  that 
he  is  at  once  disarmed.  It  may  be  well  to  tell  him 
that,  while  we  are  sorry  that  there  are  hypocrites  in 
the  church,  and  that  we  are  doing  our  best  to  put  them 
out,  yet,  there  is  no  more  i"eason  for  his  keeping  out 
of  the  church  on  this  account  than  for  his  staying  in 
the  world,  for  there  are  hypocrites  in  the  world. 
Sometimes  one  finds  that  an  objector  is  a  member  of 
some  society  or  lodge;  you  may  then  ask  him,  if  there, 
live  any  hypocrites  in  it,  and  if  so,  why  he  does  not 
leave  the  lodge.  This  reveals  to  him  the  inconsistency 
of  his  argument. 

Again,  you  may  remind  him  that  the  existence  of  the 
false  and  counterfeit  implies  the  existence  of  the  true 
and  genuine.  The  best,  not  the  poorest  Christians, 
should  form  the  standard  of  judgment  and  comparison. 

(a)  Show  Jdni  that  he  has  no  right  to  judge  others, 
and  that  God  will  hold  him  responsihle  for  so  doing. 

Rom.  14 :4,  10 : 

Who  art  thou  that  judgest  another  man's  servant? 
to  his  own  master  he  standeth  or  falleth.  Vea.  he  shall 
be  holdeu  up  :  for  God  is  able  to  make  him  stand. 

But  why  dost  thou  judse  thy  brother?  or  why  dost  thou 
set  at  nought  thy  brother?  for  we  shall  all  stand  before 
the  judgment  seat  of  Christ. 

Also  Rom.  2  :l-3. 

(h)  Draw  his  attention  to  his  oion  sin  and  inconsist- 
encj/,  and  show  him  that  Ood.  will  hold  him  respon- 
sihle for  that,  and  not  for  the  inconsistencies  of  others. 


THE  FAULT-FIXDIXG  131 

Rom.  2:1,  21-23: 

Therefore  thou  art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever 
thou  art  that  judgest:  for  wherein  thou  judgest  another, 
thou  condemnest  thyself  ;  for  thou  that  judgest  doest  the 
same   things. 

Thou  therefore  which  teachest  another,  teachest  thou 
not  thyself V  thou  that  preachest  a  man  should  not  steal,, 
dost  thou  steal? 

Thou  that  sayest  a  man  should  not  commit  adultery, 
dost  thou  commit  adultery?  thou  that  abhorrest  idols, 
dost   thou   commit   sacrilege? 

Thou  that  makest  thy  boast  of  the  law,  through  break- 
ing the  law  dishonourest  thou  God? 

Also  Matt.  7  :l-5  and  Rom.  14  :12. 

It  is  very  probable,  as  Rom.  2 :1  says,  that  he  himsell 
is  guilty  of  the  very  sin  of  which  he  is  accusing  others. 

(c)  Show  him  that,  if  he  knows  how  Christians  ought 
to  live,  God  ivill  hold  Mm  ^responsible  for  not  living  up 
to  that  light, 

Luke  12:47: 

And  that  servant,  which  knew  his  lord's  will,  and  pre- 
pared not  himself,  neither  did  according  to  his  will,  shall 
be   beaten    with    many    stripes. 

Also  ^[att.  23:23. 

2.    "Christians  and  church  members  do  things  I  would  not  do." 

It  may  be  well  to  remind  him  that  Christ,  and  not 
any  church  member,  is  the  model  after  whom  he  is  to 
pattern  his  life.  A  good  passage  for  this  purpose  is 
John  21 :21,  22 : 

Peter  seeing  him,  saith  to  Jesus,  Lord,  and  what  shall 
this  man   do? 

Jesus  saith  unto  him,  If  I  will  that  he  tarry  till  I 
come,  what  is  that  to  thee?  follow  thou  me. 

Also  Matt.  23 :10  and  Jer.  2 :5. 

It  may  be  well,  in  closing  this  case,  to  show  the  in- 
quirer the  despicableness  of  such  a  fault-finding  dispo- 
sition that  leads  him  to  pass  over  all  the  virtues  and 


132  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNIXG 

dwell  upon  the  faults  of  Christians — not  the  strongest, 
but  the  weakest.  A  cat  may  be  so  intent  upon  v>^atch- 
ing  a  hole  for  a  mouse  that  it  fails  to  see  an  elephant 
as  it  passes  by.  So  a  man  may  be  so  intent  upon 
finding  fault  that  he  fails  to  see  virtues.  There  are 
people  ^'that  make  a  man  an  offender  for  a  word  .  .  . 
and  turn  aside  the  just  for  a  thing  of  nought''  (Isa. 
29:21).  Remind  him  that  it  will  profit  him  more  to 
spend  a  little  time  here,  if  necessary,  with  the  hypo- 
crites in  the  church  rather  than  to  spend  an  eternity 
with  them  in  hell ;  for  finally,  when  God  shall  separate 
the  righteous — for  he  will  certainly  make  that  separa- 
tion some  day — from  the  wicked,  all  hypocrites,  within 
and  without  the  church,  shall  be  cast  into  hell.  "God 
shall  appoint  him  his  portion  with  the  hypocrites;  there 
shall  be  weeping  and  gnashing  of  teeth"   (Matt.  24  :51). 

3.    "Christians  have  treated  me  wrongly." 

Ask  him  what  fault  he  has  to  find  with  God's  treat- 
ment of  him.    For  this  use 

Micah  6 :3 : 

O  my  people,  what  have  I  done  unto  thee?  and  wherein 
have   I    wearied   thee?   testify   against   me. 

And  Isa.  5 :3,  4,  and  Jer.  2 :5. 

Show  him  that  God's  dealings  with  him  have  been 
faultless;  that  he  has  received  undeserved  blessings 
from  His  hand,  all  of  which  have  been  designed  to  lead 
him  to  repentance.    Use 

Eom.  2  :4 : 

Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  for- 
bearance and  long-suffering- ;  not  Itnowing  that  the  good- 
ness of  God   leadeth  thee   to  repentance? 

Also  Psa.  103:10. 


TEE  FAULT-FIXDIXG  133 

Those  Who  Find  Fault  With  the  Christian  Life. 

1.  "It  is  too  hard  and  exacting." 
Use  Prov.  13 :15  : 

Good  understanding  giveth  favour :  but  the  way  of 
transgressors  is  hard. 

This  verse  tells  us  that  it  is  the  life  of  the  sinner 
that  is  a  hard  one,  and  filled  with  many  snares  and 
dangers. 

The  life  of  the  Christian  is  described  in  the  following 
passages  : 

Prov.  3  :17 : 

Her  ways  are  ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  paths 
are  peace. 

1  John  5  :3  and  Prov.  4  :18  : 

But  the  path  of  the  just  is  as  the  shining  light,  that 
shineth    more   and   more   unto   the   perfect   day. 

2.  "It  is  unreasonable  in  its  demands." 

The  following  passages  are  useful  in  meeting  this 
objection : 

Deut.  10:12,  13: 

And  now,  Israel,  what  doth  the  Lord  thy  God  require 
of  thee,  but  to  fear  the  Lord  thy  God,  to  walk  in  all 
his  ways,  and  to  love  him,  and  to  serve  the  Lord  thy 
God  with  all   thy   heart  and   with   all   thy   soul. 

To  keep  the  commandments  of  the  Lord,  and  his 
statutes,  which  I  command  thee  this  day  for  thy  good? 

Also  Isa.  1 :1S  •  Micah  6 :8. 

Those  Who  Find  Fault  With  the  Plan  of  Salva- 
tion. 

Ofttimes  the  person  who  is  being  dealt  with  finds 
fault  with  the  means  which  God  has  ordained  for  the 
salvation  of  men.  In  answering  this  objection,  the  fol- 
lowing scriptures  will  be  helpful: 


13i  PER  SOX  AL  SOUL-WiyXIXG 


Kom.  0:19-21: 

Thou  wilt  say  then  unto  me,  Why  doth  he  yet  find 
fault?     For  who  hath   resisted  his  will? 

Nay  but,  O  man,  who  art  thou  that  repliest  against 
God?  Shall  the  thing  formed  say  to  him  that  formed 
it.  Why  hast  thou  made  me  thus? 

Hath'  not  the  potter  power  over  the  clay,  of  the  same 
lump  to  make  one  vessel  unto  honour,  and  another  unto 
dishonour  ? 

Isa.  55 :8,  0 : 

For  my  thoughts  are  not  your  thoughts,  neither  are 
your  ways  my  ways,   saith  the  Lord. 

For  as  the  heavens  are  higher  than  the  earth,  so  are 
my  ways  higher  than  your  ways  and  my  thoughts  than 
your  thoughts. 

Also  Rom.  11:33,  34;  1  Cor.  1:26,  27. 


THOSE  WHO  ARE  MISLED 

BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS 
OE  THE  TRUTH 


CHAPTER  Xin. 

IX.     THOSE  WHO  ARE  MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS 
VIEWS  OF  THE  TRUTH. 

1.    Tlie  Roman  Catholic. 

TO  deal  effectively  with  the  Roman  Catholic,  the  per- 
sonal worker  must  know  what  the  Roman  church 
believes  and  teaches,  and  in  what  respects  it  differs 
from  Protestantism.  It  is  well,  also,  to  know  what  both 
churches  believe  in  common.  Some  of  the  fundamental 
doctrines  of  the  Christian  faith  are  held  in  common  by 
both  these  churches.  Indeed,  it  is  asserted  by  some 
that  the  main  difference  between  the  two  denominations 
lies  not  so  much  in  the  matter  of  faith,  as  in  the  means 
by  which  the  grace  of  God  is  to  be  brought  to  the 
hearts  of  men :  the  Romanist  believing  that  it  can  come 
to  the  individual  heart  only  through  the  agency  of  the 
church,  while  the  Protestant  claims  that  it  comes  from 
Christ  directly  through  an  act  of  faith  on  the  part  of 
the  individual  himself. 

The  wise  Christian  worker  will  not  attack  the  Roman 
church  in  his  conversation  and  dealing  with  the  in- 
quirer. This  is  likely  to  enrage  the  man,  and  make 
all  successful  dealing  with  him  impossible.  Indeed, 
it  might  be  well  to  say  what  good  you  can  about  the 
Roman  church.  It  is  not  wise  under  ordinary,  if  any, 
circumstances  to  arouse  the  antagonism  of  an  inquirer 
unnecessarily;  nothing  is  ever  gained  by  it. 

If  you  ask  the  Roman  Catholic  whether  he  is  a 
Christian,  he  will  doubtless  answer  in  the  affirmative. 
He  may  tell  you  that  he  has  been  baptized,  or  con- 
firmed, or  both,  and  that  therefore  he  is  a  Christian. 

137 


138  PEB80XAL  SOULWIXKIXG 

It  would  be  lnl^yise  for  you  to  contradict  him.  Take 
it  for  granted,  as  a  basis  on  which  to  begin  your  deal- 
ing with  him,  that  he  is  a  Christian,  and  ask  him  if  he 
enjoys  assurance  of  salvation.  This  leads  to  the  first 
point  under  our  dealing  with  the  Roman  Catholic. 

(a)  Begin  'by  aslcing  the  inquirer  if  he  enjoys  the 
assurance  of  salvation. 

This  is  beginning  along  the  lines  of  least  resistance. 
The  Roman  church,  as  such,  from  the  most  humble 
member  thereof,  even  up  to  the  Pope  himself,  does  not 
pretend  to  enjo}^  the  blessing  of  the  assurance  of  sal- 
vation. Indeed,  the  church  does  not  believe  in  its  pos- 
sibility ;  branding  all  such  belief  as  religious  presump- 
tion; claiming  that  no  man  can  know  he  is  saved  until 
he  gets  to  heaven. 

You  can  use  such  passages  as  1  John  5:13  to  show 
that  it  is  the  will  of  God,  according  to  the  teaching 
of  the  Bible,  that  we  should  know  that  we  are  saved : 

These  things  have  I  written  unto  you  that  believe  on 
the  name  of  the  Son  of  God ;  that  ye  may  know  that 
ye  have  eternal  life,  and  that  ye  may  believe  on  the 
name  of  the   Son  of  God. 

Also,  1  John  1:9;  Acts  10:43;  Acts  13:38,  39; 
Romans  8 :14,  IG ;  John  3 :3G ;  5 :24. 

By  the  use  of  these  scriptures  you  can  show  the  in- 
quirer that  he  may  know  that  the  various  i^hases  of 
Christian  experience:  the  assurance  of  sins  forgiven, 
the  possession  of  eternal  life  and  the  knowledge  of 
assured  security  are  not  only  possible  possessions  of 
the  Christian,  but  something  that  is  demanded  bv  the 
Word  of  God. 

(h)  Show  the  necessity  of  the  new  birth, 
(1)   Baptism  and  regeneration. 

Ask  him  if  he  has  been  ''born  again'';  if  he  ha%  be- 
come "a  new  creature"  in  Christ  Jesus.    He  will  doubt- 


MISLED  BY  ERROXEOIS   \'rEWS  139 

less  tell  you  that  be  was  born  again  wbeu,  as  an  infant, 
be  was  baptized  (for  tbe  Roman  church  believes  that 
regeneration  takes  place  in  baptism). 

It  will  be  well  to  show  him  from  the  Scriptures  that 
baptism  is  not  regeneration,  although  it  is  often  mis- 
taken for  it.  This  may  be  done  by  the  use  of  two 
passages  in  the  First  Epistle  to  the  Corinthians. 

In  1  Cor.  4:15,  the  apostle  says: 

For  though  ye  have  ten  thousand  instructors  in  Christ, 
yet  have  ye  not  many  fathers:  for  in  Christ  Jesus  I 
have  hegotten  you  through  the  gospel. 

By  this  he  means  to  say  that  they  were  regenerated 
through  his  agency;  that  the  Holy  Spirit  used  him  as 
the  instrument  through  which  they  were  led  to  a  saving 
knowledge  of  Jesus  Christ.  This  is  the  clear  teaching 
of  this  passage. 

Now,  in  1  Cor.  1 :14,  the  apostle  further  says : 

I  thanl?  God  that  I  baptized  none  of  you,  but  Crispus 
and  Gaius. 

In  this  passage  the  apostle  seems  to  depreciate  the 
rite  of  baptism  so  far  as  it  being  an  agency  in  their 
regeneration  is  concerned.  Could  he  possibly  have  thus 
treated  baptism  if  it  had  been  an  essential  element 
in  their  regeneration? 

The  case  of  Simon  Magus  (Acts  8:9-24),  who  was 
baptized  by  the  apostles,  but  who,  as  the  context  clearly 
shows,  still  remained  unconverted  and  was  yet  "in  the 
gall  of  bitterness,  and  the  bond  of  iniquity,"  may  be 
used  to  show  that  baptism  is  not  to  be  substituted  for 
the  new  birth 

(2)   Regeneration  defined. 
From  2  Cor.  5  :1 7 : 

Therefore  if  any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature : 
old  thing-s  are  passed  away  ;  behold,  all  things  ar^  become 
new. 


140  PERSOXAL  80ULWIXXIXG 

and  Gal.  G  :15,  show  what  regeneration  is :  that  it  does 
not  consist  in  the  observance  of  any  mere  outward  cere- 
monial act,  such  as  baptism  or  confirmation,  but  that 
it  is  becoming  "a  new  creature"  (or  creation)  ;  the 
dying  to  the  old  life  of  sin,  and  the  rising  to  a  new 
life  of  righteousness  (1  John  5:4). 

Then  show  from  John  1:12,  13;  1  John  5  :1 ;  1  Peter 
1 :23,  and  Romans  10  :9,  10,  how  a  man  is  born  again : 
by  believing  what  the  Word  of  God  has  to  say  about 
Jesus  Christ,  receiving  Him  thus  as  one's  own  personal 
Saviour,  and  confessing  Him  as  such  a  Saviour  before 
the  world. 

(3)   Evidences  of  the  new  birth. 

Show  the  inquirer  the  marks  by  which  he  may  know 
that  he  has  been  born  again.  This  may  be  done  by  the 
use  of  many  references  in  1  John: 

5:4 — "overcometh  the  world"; 

3:9 — victory  over  sin; 

3 :14— "love  of  the  brethren,"  etc. 

In  this  connection  it  might  be  well  to  distinguish 
between  confirmation  and  regeneration.  The  Romanist 
often  mistakes  the  one  for  the  other.  Mere  reforma- 
tion is  not  regeneration.  Such  scriptures  as  Matthew 
7:21-23;  Luke  11:24-26: 

When  the  unclean  spirit  is  gone  out  of  a  man,  he 
walketh  through  dry  places,  seeking  rest ;  and  finding 
none,  he  saith,  I  will  return  unto  my  house,  whence  I 
came  out. 

And  when  he  cometh,  he  flndeth  it  swept  and  garnished. 

and  13 :25,  20,  show  conclusively  that  one  may  reform 
in  life  and  yet  not  be  a  true  Christian,  and  finally  fail 
of  entering  heaven. 

(c)  True  repentance  necessary. 

In  dealing  with  the  Roman  Catholic,  emphasis  needs 
to  be  laid  upon  the  necessity  of  true  repentance.  Too 
often  he  is  satisfied  with  the  mere  confession  of  his 
sins  to   the  priest,  forgetting  that  no  confessed  sin 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         141 

is  forgiven  unless  it  is  at  the  same  time  forsaken.  Re- 
pentance is  not  only  a  heart  broken  for  sin ;  it  is  also 
a  heart  broken  from  sin.  Such  passages  as  Proverbs 
28:13;  Jonah  3:10;  and  Isaiah  55:7  clearly  enforce 
this  duty. 

The  sole  mediatorship  of  Jesus  Christ  is  a  fact  that 
needs  to  be  strongly  emphasized.  1  Timothy  2  :5  is  a 
good  passage  to  Jise  in  this  connection : 

For  there  is  one  God,  and  one  mediator  between  God 
and   men,   the   man   Christ   Jesus. 

Also  Acts  4  :12. 

(d)  Get  the  Roman  Catholic  to  read  the  Bible. 

Finally,  it  is  a  good  thing,  if  you  can  do  it,  to  get 
the  Roman  Catholic  to  carefully  read  his  Bible.  It 
matters  not  very  much  whether  it  be  the  Catholic  or 
Protestant  Version.  Probably  more  Catholics  have 
been  led  to  Christ  in  this  way  than  in  any  other.  I 
remember  receiving  into  the  membership  of  my  church 
a  young  man  who  had  been  for  many  years  a  French 
Roman  Catholic.  I  asked  him  how  he  came  to  re- 
nounce Roman  Catholicism  for  Protestantism.  He  told 
me  that  one  evening  he  wandered  into  a  prayer  meet- 
ing, and  listened  to  the  testimonies  of  saved  men  and 
women.  He  was  deeply  impressed  with  the  joyful 
assurance  that  marked  the  testimonies,  and  resolved 
that  he  would  find  out  the  secret  of  it.  He  con- 
fessed that  he  himself  was  a  stranger  to  such  an 
experience,  although  a  member  of  the  church.  In 
speaking  with  one  of  those  who  had  testified,  at  the 
close  of  the  meeting,  his  attention  was  directed  to  the 
Bible.  He  resolved  that  he  would  own  a  Protestant 
Bible  for  himself.  He  purchased  one,  and  read  it 
night  after  night  on  his  return  from  work,  hiding  it 
safely  afterwards  so  that  his  parents  would  not  know 


142  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXXIXG 

what  he  was  reading.  After  some  weeks  of  such  read- 
ing and  study  of  the  Scriptures,  he  came  to  the  con- 
clusion that  such  an  experience  was  for  him  too.  So, 
in  his  room,  he  knelt  and  definitely  surrendered  his 
life  to  God.  From  that  time  forward  he  knew  the  joy 
of  the  Lord.  It  was  the  reading  of  the  Word  of  God 
that  did  it.     ''The  entrance  of  Thy  Word  giveth  light." 

2.    The  Unitarian. 

Generally  speaking,  a  Unitarian  is  one  who  denies 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity;  i.  e.,  he  believes  in  God  the 
Father,  but  not  in  God  the  Son,  or  in  God  the  Holy 
Ghost.  More  specifically,  Unitarianism  regards  Christ 
as  a  very  good  and  holy,  indeed,  the  best  man,  but  by 
no  means  divine  and  equal  with  the  Father.  The  Holy 
Spirit  is  looked  upon  rather  as  an  influence  than  a 
l^erson,  and,  most  certainly,  not  a  divine  person.  The 
Bible  is  regarded  as  a  work  of  great  genius,  yet  not 
inspired  and  infallible,  nor  as  the  ultimate  authority 
in  matters  of  faith  and  practice.  The  miracles  of  the 
Bible  are  explained  on  a  naturalistic  basis,  somev^hat 
mythical,  and  of  the  nature  of  folklore.  The  atonement 
and  regeneration  are  both  disbelieved,  the  terms 
scarcely  ever  being  used  by  them.  Sin  is  more  of  a 
defect  of  human  nature  than  a  thing  of  guilt ;  some- 
thing that  may  be  removed  by  culture  and  education. 
There  are,  however,  here  and  there,  especially  in  the 
New  England  states,  some  Unitarians  who  are  not 
so  radical  as  this,  and  whose  beliefs  resemble  somewhat 
the  orthodox  faith,  except,  of  course,  in  the  matter  of 
the  doctrine  of  the  Trinity. 

The  main  point  at  issue,  however,  with  which  the 
personal  worker  will  have  to  deal,  will  be  the  relation 
of  the  Unitarian  to  the  person  and  work  of  Christ. 
Other  things  will  adjust  themselves  if  this  fundamental 
doctrine  is  satisfactorilv  dealt  with.    We  cannot  think 


MISLED  BY  ERROXEOUS  VIEWS         143 

aright   in  the   rest  unless   we   think   rightly   of   Him. 
Someone  has  well  said, 

Names,  and  sects,    and  parties  fall; 
But  Thou,  O  Christ,  art  all  in  all. 

(a)  Show  him  that  he  cannot  have  the  FatUer  with- 
out the  Son. 

1  John  2  :22,  23  is  very  explicit  on  this  matter : 

Who  is  a  liar  but  lie  that  denieth  that  Jesus  is  the 
Christ?  He  is  antichrist,  that  denieth  the  Father  and 
the   Son. 

Whosoever  denieth  the  Son,  the  same  hath  not  the 
Father ;  but  he  that  ackuowledgeth  the  Son,  hath  the 
Father  also. 

In  John  14  :6  we  have  a  distinct  and  positive  aflfirma 
tion  that  access  to  the  Father  is  obtainable  only 
through  Jesus  Christ  the  Son. 

In  Matthew  11 :27,  the  Lord  Jesus  Himself  says : 

All  things  are  delivered  unto  me  of  my  Father ;  and 
no  man  knoweth  the  Son.  but  the  Father ;  neither 
knoweth  any  man  the  Father,  save  the  Son,  and  he 
to  whomsoever  the  Son  will  reveal  him. 

To  disown  the  Son  is  to  shut  the  door  of  knowledge 
that  opens  to  the  Father  in  one's  own  face.  Any  pro- 
fessed faith  in  the  Father,  and  assumed  knowledge  or 
communion  with  Him  to  which  the  Unitarian  may  lay 
claim,  is,  according  to  these  scriptures,  shown  to  be 
false  and  ungrounded.    These  are  startling  assertions. 

(h)  Show  that  salvation  comes  in  no  other  tody,  save 
through  the  person  and  work  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Acts  4 :12  is  uncompromising  in  its  assertion  of  this 
tremendous  fact: 

Neither  is  there  salvation  in  any  other :  for  there  is 
none  other  name  under  heaven  given  among  men,  whereby 
we  must  be  saved. 

Can  words  be  clearer  in  their  meaning  than  these? 
Does  not  the  refusal  to  believe  in  Christ  mean  the 
virtual  rejection  of  a  proffered  salvation?     Are  any 


144  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

words  of  Christ  Himself  more  final  and  decisive  than 
those  found  in  John  8 :21,  24  ? 

Then  said  Jesus  again  unto  them,  I  go  my  way,  and  ye 
shall  seek  me,  and  shall  die  in  your  sins :  whither  I  go, 
ye  cannot  come. 

I  said  therefore  unto  you,  that  ye  shall  die  in  your 
sins :  for  if  ye  believe  not  that  I  am  he,  ye  shall  die  in 
your  sins. 

The  attitude  of  the  Unitarian  of  today  is  practically 
that  of  the  Jews  of  our  Lord's  day  to  whom  these 
words  were  spoken. 

(c)  Show  that  it  most  certainly  is  the  ivill  of  God 
the  Father  that  men  should  Relieve  on  the  navde  of 
His  Son,  Jesus  Christ. 

This  is  clear  from  such  passages  as  John  5 122,  23 : 

For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed  all 
judgment  unto  the  Son  ; 

That  all  men  should  honor  the  Son,  even  as  they  honor 
the  Father.  He  that  honoreth  not  the  Son  honoreth 
not  the  Father  which  hath  sent  him. 

Also  rhil.  2 :9. 

(d)  Show  the  awful  guilt  restvtig  upon  the  man  who 
rejects  Jesus  Christ  as  his  Saviour. 

You  may  emphasize  the  fact  that  unbelief  in  Christ 
is  the  greatest  sin  in  the  world,  as  taught  in  John 
16 :8-10 : 

And  when  he  is  come,  he  will  reprove  the  world  of 
sin,  and  of  righteousness,   and  of  judgment : 

Of  sin,   because  they   believe  not  on   me  ; 

Of  righteousness,  because  I  go  to  my  Father,  and  ye 
see   me  no  more. 

This  is  the  one  sin  above  all  others  of  which  the  Holy 
Spirit  has  come  into  the  world  to  convict  men. 

1  John  2:22,  23  may  be  used  to  show  that  the  sin 
of  refusal  to  accept  Jesus  Christ  is  nothing  more  or 
less  than  the  possession  of  the  spirit  of  Antichrist. 

1  John  5 :10-12  shows  that  to  thus  reject  Jesus  Christ 
as  the  One  through  whom  the  Father  bestows  eternal 
life  is  to  charge  God  with  being  a  liar : 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         145 

He  that  believeth  on  the  Son  of  God  hath  the  wit- 
ness in  himself :  he  that  believeth  not  God  hath  made 
him  a  liar ;  because  he  believeth  not  the  record  that 
God  gave  of  his  Son. 

And  this  is  the  record,  that  God  hath  given  to  us 
eternal  life,  and  this  life  is  in  his  Son. 

He  that  hath  the  Son  hath  life;  and  he  that  hath 
not  the  Son  of  God  hath  not  life. 

Another  good  passage  is  Heb.  10 :28,  29.  Than  these, 
there  are  no  more  solemn  words  in  the  Bible.  The  sin 
in  these  verses  which  brings  down  upon  the  head  of  the 
one  committing  it  such  dreadful  consequences,  is  the 
denial  of  the  claim  of  Jesus  Christ,  and  the  accounting 
of  the  blood  of  the  atonement  simply  of  the  nature  of 
the  death  of  any  martyr.  Is  not  this  the  sin  which 
Unitarianism  is  committing? 

(e)  If  the  inquirer  seeks  to  have  you  prove  to  him 
from  the  Scriptures  that  Jesus  Christ  is  Deity,  the  Son 
of  God,  the  Saviour  of  the  world,  show  him: 

(1)  That  divine  names  are  given  to  Jesus  Christ. 
Acts  3  :14 : 

But  ye  denied  the  Holy  One  and  the  Just,  and  desired 
a  murderer  to  be  granted  unto  you. 

Also  John  20:28;  Heb.  1:8,  and  Titus  2:13. 

(2)  Divine  attributes  ascribed  to  Him. 
Omnipotence.    He  can  do  all  things : 

Matt.  28 :18 : 

And  Jesus  came  and  spake  unto  them,  saying,  All 
power  is  given  unto  me  in  heaven  and  in  earth. 

Also  Eph.  1 :22,  23. 

Omniscience.    He  knows  all  things : 

Mark  2:8: 

And  immediately  when  Jesus  perceived  in  his  spirit 
that  they  so  reasoned  within  themselves,  he  said  unto 
them,    Why   reason   ye   these   things   in  your  hearts? 

Also  Col,  2  :3 ;  John  2 :24-25 ;  4  :1G-19 ;  G  :64 ;  16 :30. 


146  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

OmnipreseDce.     He  is  everywhere. 
Matt.  18:20. 

For  where  two  or  three  are  gathered  together  in  my 
name,  there  am  I  in  the  midst  of  them. 

Also  John  11:20;  3:13;  Eph.  1:23. 
Eternity.    He  always  existed. 
John  1 :1 : 

In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was 
with  God,   and  the  Word  was  God. 

Also  John  8:58;  Micah  5:2;  Heb.  13:8;  John  1:2. 
(3)   Divine  works  ascribed  to  Him. 
Creation. 
John  1  :l-3 : 

The  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,  and  the  Word  was  God. 

The  same  was  in  the  beginning  with  God. 

All  things  were  made  by  him  ;  and  without  him  was 
not  any  thing  made  that  was  made. 

Also  Col.  1 :1G : 

For  by  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven, 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether 
they  be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  principalities,  or 
powers ;   all   things  were  created   by   him,    and  for   him. 

Also  Heb.  1;10;  John  1:1-3. 

Judgment. 

John  5 :22,  23 : 

For  the  Father  judgeth  no  man,  but  hath  committed 
all   judgment  unto   the   Son : 

That  all  men  should  honor  the  Son.  even  as  they  honor 
the  Fathei'.  He  that  honoreth  not  the  Son  honoreth  not 
the  Father  which  hath  sent  him. 

John  6:39: 

And  this  is  the  Father's  will  which  hath  sent  me,  that 
of  all  which  he  hath  given  me  I  should  lose  nothing, 
but  should  raise  it   up  again  at  the  last  day. 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         147 

Also  John  5  :28,  29. 
Gives  eternal  life. 
John  5  :21  : 

For  as  the  Father  raiseth  up  the  dead,  and  quickeneth 
them  ;  even  so  the  Son  quickeneth  whom  he  will. 

Also  John  10  :27,  29. 

(4)  Divine  worship  is  accorded  to  Him. 

Matt.  28  :9 : 

And  as  they  went  to  tell  his  disciples,  behold,  Jesus 
met  them,  saying.  All  hail.  And  they  came  and  held  him 
by  the  feet,  and  worshipped  him. 

Matt.  14  :33 : 

Then  they  that  were  in  the  ship  came  and  worship- 
ped him,  saying,  Of  a  truth  thou  art  the  Son  of  God. 

Also  Luke  24:52;  Rev.  22:8,  9;  Psa.  45:11;  John 
5:23,  with  Rev.  5:8,  9,  12,  13;  Heb.  1:0;  Phil.  2:10,  11. 

3.    The  UiilYersallst. 

By  the  Universalist  is  meant  one  who  claims  that 
every  one  is  going  to  be  finally  saved;  that  no  created 
being  will  be  forever  lost. 

How  TO  Deal  With  Them. 

(a)  Know  and  understand  the  scriptures  on  which 
theij  hase  their  argument. 
They  are  as  follows : 

1  Tim.  2:3,  4: 

For  this  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God 
our    Saviour  ; 

Who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and  to  come  unto 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth. 

You  may  show  them  that  this  passage  teaches  not 
the  determined  purpose  and  decree  of  God,  but  the 


148  PERSOXAL  ^WUL-WIXXIXG 

desire  and  wish  on  the  part  of  God  that  all  men  should 
be  saved.  To  desire  and  wish  the  salvation  of  a  person 
is  not  the  same  as  determining  that  that  thing  shall 
take  place.  God  does  not  determine  that  all  men  shall 
be  saved,  but  desires  that  all  men  sJiould  be  saved. 
Matthew  1:19  illustrates  both  uses  of  the  word  icill: 

1  Cor.  15  :22  : 

For  as  in  Adam  all  die,  even  so  in  Christ  shall  all  be 
made  alive. 

This  verse  deals  not  with  the  question  of  all  men 
receiving  eternal  life  in  Christ,  but  with  the  physical 
resurrection  of  all  men  because  of  Christ's  resurrection. 
The  whole  race  died  physically  in  Adam;  the  whole 
race  rises  physically  in  Christ.  This  is  the  clear  inter- 
pretation according  to  the  context. 

(h)  Shotv  that  the  tvill  of  man  has  some  part  to  play 
in  his  salvation. 

For  example,  he  must  repent  (Luke  13:3)  ;  he  must 
Relieve  (John  3:36)  ;  he  must  forsake  his  sins  (Prov. 
28:13)  ;  he  must  come  to  Christ  (John  5:40). 

(c)  Use  such  passages  as  show  that  all  men  are  not 
saved. 

Matt.  25  :41-46 : 

Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand, 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil  and  his  angels : 

For  I  was  an  hungred,  and  ye  gave  me  no  meat ;  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  no  drink  : 

I  was  a  stranger,  and  ye  took  me  not  in  :  naked,  and 
ye  clothed  me  not :  sick,  and  in  prison,  and  ye  visited 
me  not. 

Then  shall  they  also  answer  him,  saying.  Lord,  when 
saw  we  thee  an  nungred,  or  athirst,  or  a  stranger,  or 
naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison,  and  did  not  minister  unto 
thee? 

Then  shall  he  answer  them,  saying,  Vei^ly  I  say  unto 
you,  Inasmuch  as  ye  did  it  not  to  one  of  the  lea^t  of 
these,   ye   did   it  not   to  me. 

And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment: 
but   the  righteous  into  life  eternal. 

Compare  also  Rev.  20 :15 ;  21 :8 ;  2  Thess.  1 :7-9. 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS  149 

4.    Tlie  Seveuth-Day  Adiciitist. 

In  dealing  with  this  class,  the  Christian  worker 
should  seek  to  acquaint  himself  quite  fully  with  what 
Seventh-Day  Adventists  believe.  The  following  booklets 
will  give  much  of  the  desired  information :  Ought  Chris- 
tians to  Keep  the  Sahhathf  by  R.  A.  Torrey;  Adventisui 
Refuted,  by  D.  M.  Canright;  Seventh-Day  Adnentism, 
by  David  Anderson  Berry. 

The  fundamental  doctrine  of  Seventh-Day  Adventism 
is  the  absolute  necessity  of  keeping  the  seventh  day  of 
the  week  (Saturday)  as  the  Sabbath.  Those  who  do 
not  keep  Saturday  as  the  Sabbath,  but,  instead,  keep 
Sunday  (the  first  day  of  the  week)  have  upon  them 
the  mark  of  the  beast,  and,  therefore,  cannot  be  saved. 

How  TO  Deal  With  Them. 

(a)  Knoio  their  favorite  passages,  and  show  how 
they  wrongly  interpret  them. 

1  John  2  :4  : 

He  that  saith,  I  know  him,  and  keepeth  not  his  com- 
mandments, is  a  liar,  and  the  truth  is  not  in  him. 

The  commandment  in  this  verse  is  made  to  mean 
the  Sabbath.  They  make  an  almost  constant  practice 
of  reading  the  word  "Sabbath"  in  place  of  the  word 
''commandment"  wherever  such  word  occurs  in  the 
New  Testament.    By  the  use  of  1  John  3 :23 : 

And  this  is  his  commandment,  That  we  should  believe 
on  the  name  of  his  Son  Jesus  Christ,  and  love  one  an- 
other,  as   he   gave  us   commandment. 

you  can  show  what  God  means  by  the  commandments 
of  Christ:  love  and  faith,  not  Sabbath-keeping. 

Another  favorite  passage  with  the  Adventist  is  Rev. 
22  :14 : 


150  PER.WXAL  SOUL-WnXIXG 

Blessed  are  they  that  do  his  commandments,  that  they 
may  have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter  in 
through  the  gates  into  the  city. 

The  '^commandments"  here,  of  course,  are  made  to 
mean  the  Ten  Commandments,  which  naturally  in- 
cludes the  fourth,  or  the  Sabbath-keeping  command- 
uient.  Participation  in  eternal  life  is,  therefore,  said 
to  be  dependent  upon  keeping  this  commandment.  A 
careful  reading  of  this  verse  in  the  Revised  Version 
will  show  that  the  words  ''that  keep  his  command- 
ments" are  omitted  entirely  from  the  text.  So  there 
is  nothing  left  for  the  Adventist  to  build  his  doctrine 
on  in  this  verse. 

(h)  Show  them  that  the  Lata  {on  taWes  of  stone, 
clearly  the  so-called  moral  laic)  is  done  away. 

2  Cor.  3 :7-ll : 

But  if  the  ministration  of  death,  written  and  engraven 
in  stones,  was  glorious,  so  that  the  children  of  Israel 
could  not  steadfastly  behold  the  face  of  Moses  for  the 
glory  of  his  countenance ;  which  glory  was  to  be  done 
away ; 

ilow  shall  not  the  ministration  of  the  spirit  be  rather 
glorious? 

For  if  the  ministration  of  condemnation  be  glory,  much 
more  doth  the  ministration  of  righteousness  exceed  in 
glory. 

For  even  that  which  was  made  glorious  had  no  glory 
in  this  respect,  by  reason  of  the  glory  that  excelleth. 

For  if  that  which  is  done  away  was  glorious,  much 
more  that  which  remaineth  is  glorious. 

The  Sabbath  was  one  of  the  laws  written  on  the 
tables  of  stone.  These,  Scripture  says,  were  ''done 
away."  In  these  verses  we  have  a  distinct  statement 
that  the  covenant  that  was  represented  by  the  two 
tables  of  stone  upon  which  was  written  the  Sabbath 
law  is  abolished.  You  are  therefore  placed  on  the 
horns  of  a  dilemma,  either  you  are  under  the  Old  Cove- 
nant with  its  ministration  of  death,  or  you  are  under 
the  New  Covenant  with  its  ministration  of  the  Spirit 
who  giveth  life.  If  you  keep  the  seventh-day  Sabbath, 
you  are  acknowledging  that  you  are  under  the  former, 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         151 

aud  therefore  have  no  claim  to  the  benefits  of  the  lat- 
ter. Not  only  so,  but  as  to  be  under  the  former 
necessitates  your  becoming  a  Jew ;  so  the  Seventh-Day 
Adventist  dictum  is :  ''Gentile  Christians  must  become 
Israelites,  and  so  come  under  the  obligation  to  keep 
the  Sabbath,  for  the  Sabbath  was  given  forever  through- 
out their  generations.'^ 

(c)  SJioic  them  that  l)y  the  death  of  Christ  Chris- 
tians have  become  dead  to  the  Laic. 

Rom.  7 :14 : 

Know  ye  not,  brethren,  (for  I  speak  to  them  that 
know  the  law.)  how  that  the  law  hath  dominion  over 
a  man  as  long  as   he   liveth? 

For  the  woman  which  hath  a  husband  is  bound  by  the 
law  to  her  husband  so  long  as  he  liveth ;  but  if  the 
husband  be  dead,  she  is  loosed  from  the  law  of  her 
husband. 

So  then  if,  while  her  husband  liveth.  she  be  married 
to  another  man,  she  shall  be  called  an  adulteress:  but  if 
her  husband  be  dead,  she  is  free  from  that  law ;  so 
that  she  is  no  adulteress,  though  she  be  married  to 
another  man. 

Wherefore,  my  brethren,  ye  also  are  become  dead  to 
the  law  by  the  body  of  Christ ;  that  ye  should  bo  married 
to  another,  even  to  him  who  is  raised  from  the  dead, 
that  we  should  bring  forth  fruit   unto  God. 

Compare  with  this  Rom.  10  :3-9. 

(d)  Shoic  them  that  every  one  of  the  Ten  Command' 
ments,  except  the  fourth,  referring  to  Sahhath  obser- 
vance, is  reaffirmed  in  the  Neio  Testament. 

There  is  no  hint  anywhere  that  the  Sabbath  law  is 
binding  on  the  Christian.  By  the  example  of  Christ, 
the  contrary  seems  to  be  the  case.  (Compare  the  dis- 
cussion regarding  the  disciples  plucking  corn  on  the 
Sabbath  day,  Matt.  12:1-8.)  Indeed,  Christ  seems  to 
consider  the  Sabbath  law  less  binding  than  any  other 
one  of  the  ten,  for  He  says  it  may  be  broken  under 
certain  circumstances  and  the  breaker  yet  be  guiltless. 
This  could  not  be  true  of  covetousness,  or  adultery, 
even  though  such  a  sin  were  committed  within  the 


152  PERSONAL  SOULWIXXIXa 

sacred  precincts  of  the  temple.     Indeed,  it  would  be 
all  the  more  grievous  because  committed  therein. 

(e)  8Jww  them  that  the  Sahhath  obligation  is  ex- 
pressly and  plainly  declared  not  to  he  binding  upon 
the  Christian. 

Col.  2:16,  17: 

Let  no  man  therefore  judge  you  in  meat,  or  in  drink, 
or  in  respect  of  a  holyday,  or  of  tlie  new  moon,  or  of 
the  sabbath  days : 

Which  are  a  shadow  of  things  to  come :  but  the  body 
is  of  Christ. 

Seventh-Day  Adventists  may  here  contend  that  Paul 
did  not  refer  to  the  regular  iceeJdy  Sabbath,  but  to 
some  one  of  the  special  Sabbaths.  Why  did  he  not  say 
so  then? 

Indeed,  does  he  not  refer  to  such  special  Sabbaths 
by  calling  them  feasts,  new-moons,  etc.?  (Compare  2 
Chron.  2:4;  8:13.)  Paul  includes  in  his  category  all 
these  shadowy  Sabbaths,  as  they  are  called,  as  well  as 
the  weekly  Sabbath.  This  has  been  illustrated  as  fol- 
lows: You  are  standing  in  the  road  with  your  back 
to  the  rising  sun;  suddenly  the  shadow  of  a  hat  ap- 
pears, and  as  it  passes  you  the  head  next  appears,  and 
so  on.  By  this  you  know  someone  is  overtaking  you; 
but  owing  to  the  position  of  the  sun  the  shadow  is  long 
drawn  out,  and  some  moments  may  elapse  ere  your 
friend  in  the  body  overtakes  you.  So  Christ  was  com- 
ing, and,  unseen,  cast  His  shadow  before  in  the  form 
of  Old  Testament  rites  and  ceremonies,  holy  days,  new- 
moons,  and  Sabbaths.  But  when  He  who  cast  the 
shadow  came,  it  would  surely  be  foolish  to  be  occupied 
with  the  shadow  and  not  with  Himself.  And  now  He 
is  gone  awhile,  we  need  no  shadow,  for  we  have  the 
substance  in  the  third  person  in  the  Holy  Trinity,  who 
dwells  with  us  and  in  us  as  the  representative  of  our 
absent  Lord  Jesus.    This,  those  Avho  lived  under  the 


MILLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         153 

old  dispensation,  the  economy  of  shadows,  had  not. 

(f)  SJiow  that  the  Sahhath  is  a  purely  Jewish  insti- 
tution and  teas  never  meant  to  he  hinding  on  the  Chris- 
tian. 

This  is  clearly  stated  in  the  following  passages;  note 
the  context  of  each. 

Dent.  5  :12-15 : 

Here  the  Sabbath  is  used  in  connection  with  the  de- 
liverance from  Egypt — ''Therefore  the  Lord  thy  God 
commanded  thee  to  keep  the  Sabbath  day." 

See  also  Ex.  20 :1,  2,  and  note  context. 

The  Sabbath  was  a  sign  between  Israel  and  God  (Ex. 
31:13-17;  Ezek.  20:12,  13).  It  is  true  the  Sabbath  is 
mentioned  in  Gen,  2 :3,  but  it  is  not  mentioned  there  as 
a  command  or  a  law,  but  wherever  it  is  given  as  a  law 
it  is  in  connection  with  Israel.  When  Israel  as  a 
nation  passed  away,  that  Sabbath  passed  away;  when 
Israel  shall  again  be  restored,  then  the  Sabbath  and  its 
obligations  shall  again  be  binding.  This  is  just  what 
we  find  in  Isa.  52:2-7.  We  must  distinguish  between 
the  Jew,  the  Gentile,  and  the  Church  of  God  (1  Cor. 
10:32).  The  Christian  is  not  a  child  of  Israel,  he  is  a 
child  of  God,  with  a  place  in  the  Body  of  Christ,  where 
no  national  distinctions  are  known — ^^neither  Jew  nor 
Gentile." 

(g)  Shoiv  them  that  it  is  impossible  for  even  an 
Adventist  to  keep  the  Jewish  Sahhath;  so  that,  if  this 
were  required,  a  Seventh-Da jj  Adventist  could  not  he 
saved. 

According  to  their  teaching,  a  believer  who  fails  to 
keep  the  Sabbath  is  lost. 

Here  is  the  Adventist's  position  on  the  Sabbath-keep- 
ing question : 

(1)  The  observance  of  the  Sabbath  from  sunset  on 
Friday  to  sunset  on  Saturday. 


154  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WINNING 

(2)  The  non-observance  of  this  is  ''the  mark  of  the 

beast." 

(3)  There  is  no  hope  of  salvation  for  those  who  will 

not  keep  the  Sabbath. 

(4)  Through  the  two  great  errors,  the  immortality 

of  the  soul  and  Sunday  sacredness,  Satan  will 
bring  the  people  under  his  deceptions. 

(5)  Sabbath-keeping  is  the  great  sign  of  loyalty  to 

God,  for  it  is  written:  ''It  is  a  sign  between 
me  and  the  children  of  Israel  forever." 
(G)  Believers  who  fail  to  keep  the  Sabbath  are  lost; 
for  Mrs.  White,  a  noted  Seventh-Day  Adventist 
author,  says :  "If  it  is  seen  that,  though  run- 
ning well  for  a  time,  they  did  not  overcome 
{i.  e.,  kept  not  the  Sabbath),  then  instead  of 
confessing  their  names  before  the  Father  and 
His  angels,  and  blotting  out  their  sins,  Christ 
will  blot  out  their  names  from  the  book  of 
life  .  .  .  after  which  Christ  will  come  to 
take  to  Himself  those  who  are  found  to  be 
loyal  to  Him." 
Kut  can  and  do  the  Seventh-Day  Adventists  keep  the 

Sabbath  according  to  Jewish  law^?    Let  us  see.     Take 

this  quotation  from  their  catechism: 

"(?.  In  Ex.  35:3  we  read:  Ye  shall  kindle  no  fire 
throughout  your  habitation  upon  the  Sabbath 
day." 

Do  they  obey  this?    If  not,  how  do  they  get  around 
it?    In  this  way: 

''A,  In  that  climate  fire  teas  not  needed  for  icannth, 
a/nd  the  very  fact  that  one  ivas  kindled  in- 
dicated that  unnecessary  labor  teas  to  he  per- 
formed/^ 

Here  is  extreme  and  inexcusable  ignorance.    What 
does  the  very  Book  they  profess  to  study  say?    John 


MISLED  BY  EIUWyEOUS   MEWS  155 

18:18:  "And  the  servants  and  officers  stood  there  who 
had  made  a  fire  of  coals,  for  it  teas  cold;  and  they 
icarmed  themselves;  and  Peter  stood  with  them  and 
tcarmed  himself."  If  Christians  are  thus  required  to 
keep  the  Sabbath,  how  then  can  they  live  in  cold 
climates? 

Again,  Israel  kept  their  Sabbath  from  sunset,  Fri- 
day, to  sunset,  Saturday.  The  law  is  clear  upon  the 
point:  ''From  even  unto  even  shall  ye  celebrate  your 
Sabbath.''  They  could  do  this  with  the  utmost  regu- 
larity in  their  own  land.  But  what  happens  in  those 
lands  where  there  are  no  sunsets  at  certain  seasons  of 
the  year.  How  about  such  countries  as  Norway  and 
Sweden?  Further,  how  do  you  explain  the  fact  that 
far  away  towards  the  extremes  of  the  earth,  traveling 
from  the  equator,  there  are  periods  of  six  months  day 
and  six  months  night  from  age  to  age?  Do  you  not 
see  that  it  is  a  geographical  impossibility  for  all  men  to 
keep  the  same  day,  and  that  the  Sabbath  law,  so  far 
as  its  obedience  to  the  letter  is  concerned,  was  only 
intended  for  one  people,  one  country,  and  one  age? 

(h)  Show  tliat  the  commandment  in  the  Decalogue 
iH  to  keep  the  Sahhath — the  seventh  day. 

But  there  is  no  established  starting  point  from  which 
to  count.  Again,  it  would  be  impossible  for  all  the 
world  to  have  the  same  starting  point. 

A  Seventh-Day  Adventist  thought  to  confuse  Dr. 
Torrey  by  asking:  ''One  of  the  commandments  says, 
'The  seventh  day  is  the  Sabbath  day  of  the  Lord,'  and 
yet  Sunday  is  observed  instead.     Has  God  changed?" 

Dr.  Torrey's  reply  must  have  confused  the  questioner, 
for  he  said : 

"The  Bible  doesn't  say  the  seventh  day  of  the  week 
is  the  Sabbath  of  the  Lord;  the  Sabbath  was  the  sev- 
enth day — after  they  had  labored  six  days.  God  was 
not  guilty  of  any  such  folly  as  giving  a  law  that  it 


156  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXNING 

would  be  impossible  to  keep.  If  our  beiDg  saved  de- 
pended upon  a  certain  section  of  the  week,  I  should 
estimate  that  at  least  half  the  Seventh-Day  Ad- 
ventists  would  be  lost ;  for,  while  Seventh-Day  Advent- 
ists  in  Australia  are  observing  Sabbath,  the  great 
body  of  their  fellow-believers  are  working  just  as 
hard  as  they  know  how,  for  the  seventh  day  doesn't 
come  in  Chicago,  where  I  live,  until  sixteen  hours  after 
it  comes  here.  Now,  w^hich  section  is  saved,  and  which 
is  lost?  Again,  I  started  from  America  last  December, 
and  on  my  way  here  I  crossed  the  180th  meridian,  in 
doing  which  I  lost  my  Thursday,  and  ever  since  I  have 
been  keeping  Saturday.  Even  then  I  don't  keep  it  as 
the  seventh  day — I  do  it  as  the  first  day.  Suppose  two 
Seventh-Day  Adventists  started  to  go  round  the 
w^orld — one  east,  the  other  west,  each  keeping  Saturday. 
By  the  time  they  met,  there  would  be  tw^o  days'  differ- 
ence between  them.  Can  you  tell  me  which  of  them 
would  be  saved?" 

(i)  Seventh-Day  Adventists  demj  the  conscious  ex- 
istence of  the  soul  after  death;  they  'believe  that  the 
soul  sleeps  hetiveen  death  and  the  resurrection. 

According  to  this  teaching,  there  is  no  comforting 
outlook  for  the  believer.  As  it  happeneth  to  the  beast, 
so  it  happeneth  to  the  man — they  both  go  to  the  one 
place.  How  contrary  this  is  to  the  teaching  of  the 
Bible!    Compare  2  Cor.  5:1-8;  Phil.  1:20-23. 

It  is  of  importance  in  dealing  with  this  class  to 
know  on  wiiat  Scriptural  basis  they  found  their  be- 
lief in  the  sleep  of  the  soul.  We  must  be  able  to  give 
the  proper  interpretation  of  these  Scripture  references. 
They  are  as  follow^s: 

Acts  2 :34 :  '^For  David  is  not  ascended  into  the 
heavens."  This  is  their  favorite  text,  or  one  of  them. 
But  the  context  show^s  clearly  that  it  is  the  body  and 
not  the  soul  or  spirit  of  David  that  is  here  spoken  of; 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS  157 

compare  ''His  sepulchre  is  with  us,"  ''He  is  both  dead 
and  buried,"  "He  spake  of  the  resurrection  of  Christ 
.  .  .  that  his  body  did  not  see  corruption."  (vv.  29, 
31.) 

Eccl.  9  :5-10.  "The  dead  know  nothing,"  etc.  This 
passage  is  limited  by  the  context — "under  the  sun." 
Yet  what  does  2  Sam.  15:11  mean?  "With  Absalom 
went  200  men  .  .  .  they  went  in  their  simplicity, 
and  tJiey  knew  not  anything.'^  The  context  explains 
it — they  knew  nothing  of  Absalom's  plot.  Again  1 
Sam.  20 :39,  as  concerning  the  lad  who  ran  after 
Jonathan's  arrows:  "But  the  lad  Imeio  not  anything : 
only  David  and  Jonathan  knew  the  matter."  So  1 
Tim.  6  :4,  referring  to  a  proud,  self-conceited  teacher, 
"He  is  proud,  knowing  nothing J^  Were  all  these  with- 
out consciousness  or  without  thought?  No;  but  tliry 
knew  nothing  about  the  things  in  particular  mentioned. 
So  with  Eccl.  9:6:  "Neither  have  they  a  portion  for 
ever  in  anything  that  is  done  under  the  sun  J' 

Dan.  12:2  with  John  11:11,  14,  39:  "Those  that  sleop 
in  the  dust";  "Lazarus  sleepeth." 

Why  not  observe  the  words :  "Lazarus  is  dead  .  .  . 
he  now  stinketh"?  Can  these  words  be  used  of  the 
spirit  or  soul  of  Lazarus?     Certainly  not. 

So  with  1  Thess.  4  :16,  17. 

This  refers  to  the  resurrection  of  the  body,  and  not  to 
the  spirit.  As  the  spirit  does  not  go  down  into  the 
grave  at  death  (2  Cor.  5;  Phil.  1:21-23),  these  verses 
can  have  no  reference  to  it. 

Matt.  27:52  explains  the  whole  teaching  of  these 
passages, — that  the  reference  is  to  the  resurrection  of 
the  bodies  and  not  to  the  sleep  of  the  soul.  "The  graves 
were  opened,  and  many  todies  of  the  saints  which  slept 
arose.  That  is  the  sum  and  substance  of  it  all — graves^ 
"bodies,  slept. 


158  PER80XAL  SOVL-WIXXIXG 

(j)  Show  that  the  Scriptures  teach  that  the  spirit  or 
soul  does  not  die  with  the  l)ody. 

Eccl.  12 :7 ;  3 :21 ;  1  Cor.  5 :5 ;  Luke  23 :43,  46. 

When  Stephen  died  (and  Jesus  too)  his  body  went 
down  to  the  grave,  but  his  spirit  he  committed  into  the 
hands  of  God  (Acts  7:59). 

According  to  2  Cor.  12 :2, — 

I  knew  a  man  in  Christ  above  fourteen  years  ago, 
(whether  in  the  body,  I  cannot  tell ;  or  whether  out  of 
the  body,  I  cannot  tell :  God  knoweth  ;)  such  a  one  caught 
up  to  the  third  heaven— 

a  man  can  live  outside  of  his  body  and  go  to  heaven. 
Refer  to  the  story  of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus,  the 
burial  of  the  body  in  the  grave,  and  the  conscious  exist- 
ence of  the  soul  in  another  world  (Luke  16:19-31). 
Here  an  intelligent  conversation  is  carried  on  between 
the  spirits  of  the  departed.  In  the  clearest  possible 
way  these  passages  teach  the  conscious  state  of  the 
dead. 

Matt.  10 :28 : 

And  fear  not  them  which  kill  the  body,  but  are  not 
able  to  kill  the  soul :  but  rather  fear  him  which  is  able 
to  destroy   both  soul  and  body  in  hell. 

Then  the  soul  does  not  die  with  the  body,  as  is  wit- 
nessed to  by  the  appearance  of  Moses  and  Elijah  on  the 
transfiguration  mount. 

A  fuller  treatment  of  this  subject  will  be  found  in  Ought  Christians 
to  Keep  the  Sabbath f  by  Dr.  R.  A.  Torrey. 


The  Spiritualist 


Spiritualism  is  the  belief  that  disembodied  spirits 
can  and  do  communicate  with  the  living,  especially 
through  the  agency  of  a  person  particularly  susceptible 
to  spiritualistic  influence  called  a  ^'medium."  Under 
the  term  "Spiritualism"  are  to  be  classed  all  the  various 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         159 

doctrines  and  theories  collectively  founded  upon  this 
belief. 

It  professes  to  give  advice  spiritual,  professional,  and 
domestic.  It  boasts  of  being  able  to  give  tangible  evi- 
dence of  immortality  so  that  we  need  not  accept  this 
great  doctrine  by  faith  alone. 

Some  have  sought  to  explain  the  phenomena  of  Spirit- 
ualism on  the  basis  of  trickery,  ventriloquism,  or  per- 
sonal magnetism.  Others  claim  that  the  whole  thing 
is  a  huge  fraud.  A  noted  Spiritualist  said:  ''Admit, 
if  you  will,  that  99  per  cent  of  Spiritualism  is  fraud, 
you  must  explain  the  hundredth  part  that  is  genuine 
and  true." 

A  Christian  worker  should  know  how  Spiritualism 
explains  itself,  and  then  how  to  meet  it  from  the  Bible. 

(a)  Show  that  Spiritualism  denies  the  existence  of 
Satan  and  angels. 

Hence  any  communication  between  this  and  the  in- 
visible world  must  come  from  the  spirits  of  departed 
human  beings  who  move  in  circles  around  this  earth, 
and  are  graded  according  to  their  moral  qualities,  the 
worst  being  nearest  to  us,  and  the  best  farthest  from  us. 

(h)  To  expose  the  error  of  this  doctrine,  show  that 
the  Bihle  teaches  that  there  is  a  class  of  heings  in  the 
invisihle  world  distinct  from  the  spirits  of  departed 
human  heings. 

Jude  G : 

And  the  angels  which  kept  not  their  first  estate,  but 
left  their  own  habitation,  he  hath  reserved  in  everlasting 
chains,  under  darkness  unto  the  judgment  of  the  great 
day. 

Also  Heb.  12 :22,  23. 

From  these  scriptures  we  infer  that  there  is  an  order 
of  beings  called  angels,  both  good  and  bad.  These 
verses  cannot  refer  to  men,  for  all  men  have  sinned, 
whereas  some  of  the  angels  did  not  sin ;  they  do  not  re- 


160  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

fer  to  men,  because  these  beings  who  sinned  were  cast 
down  from  heaven  and  out  into  darkness,  and  that  is 
not  true  of  man,  for  he  has  always  been  on  the  earth. 
Further,  we  are  also  told  that  the  angels  sang  when  the 
foundations  of  the  world  were  laid,  whereas  man  was 
not  made  until  the  sixth  creative  day.  The  passage 
in  Hebrews  clearly  distinguishes  between  angels  and 
the  spirits  of  just  men.  It  is  clear  from  these  passages 
that  there  is  an  order  of  beings  wholly  distinct  from 
man,  who  are  intelligent  and  have  power  to  communi- 
cate with  each  other  and  with  other  intelligent  beings, 
like  man,  if  permitted  to  do  so. 

(c)  SJioiv  that  the  work  of  their  spirits  is  not  the 
work  of  good  angels. 

The  work  of  good  angels  is  set  forth  in  Hebrews  1 :14. 
Such  a  helpful  ministry  as  this  is  not  the  work  of 
Spiritualism,  for  Spiritualism  afflcts  good  people :  it  is 
skeptical,  anti-Christian;  it  repudiates  the  Bible;  it 
denies  God. 

(d)  Shoiv  that  Spiritualism  is  not  the  work  of  the 
spirits  of  the  dead. 

According  to  the  Scriptures  these  are  in  heaven  with 
Christ,  and  not  roaming  around  the  earth  subject  to  the 
beck  and  call  of  any  spiritualistic  medium.  We  have 
no  indications  anywhere  in  the  Bible  that  the  spirits  of 
departed  ones  communicate  with  the  living  on  earth. 
Indeed,  the  parable  of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus 
(Luke  16)  shows  the  impossibility  of  such  a  revelation. 

If,  therefore.  Spiritualism  is  not  the  work  of  good 
angels  or  of  departed  spirits,  it  must  be  the  work  of 
Satan  and  demons,  and  that  is  just  what  the  Bible 
claims  it  to  be. 

1  Tim.  4  :1 : 

Now  the  Spirit  speaketh  expressly,  that  in  the  latter 
times  some  shall  denart  from  the  faith,  giving  heed  to 
seducing  spirits,  and  doctrines  of  devils. 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  yiE}VS  161 

Compare  also  2  Thess.  2  :9-12,  and  2  Tim.  3 :13. 
Dealing  more  specifically  with  Spiritualism, 

(e)  Endeavor   to   show   the   attitude  of   the  Bible 
toicard  it.    It  is  absolutely  forbidden  in  the  Scriptures. 

Deut.  18 :9-12 : 

When  thou  art  come  into  the  land  which  the  Lord  thy 
God  giveth  thee,  thon  shalt  not  learn  to  do  after  the 
abominations   of  those  nations. 

There  shall  not  be  found  among  you  any  one  that 
maketh  his  son  or  his  daughter  to  pass  through  the  fire, 
or  that  useth  divination,  or  an  observer  of  times,  or  an 
enchanter,   or  a-  witch. 

Or  a  charmer,  or  a  consulter  with  familiar  spirits,  or 
a   wizard,    or   a    necromancer. 

For  all  that  do  these  things  are  an  abomination  unto 
the  Lord :  and  because  of  these  abominations  the  Lord 
thy  God  doth   drive  them   out  from  before  thee. 

Compare  also  Lev.  19 :31 ;  Acts  16 :16-18 ;  Isa.  8 :19-22. 

(f)  ShoiD  that  God's  curse  rests  upon  it. 
1  Chron.  10  :13,  U  : 

So  Saul  died  for  his  transgression  which  he  committed 
against  the  Lord,  even  against  the  word  of  the  Lord, 
which  he  kept  not,  and  also  for  asking  counsel  of  one 
that  had   a   familiar  spirit,    to   inquire   of   it ; 

And  inquired  not  of  the  Lord :  therefore  he  slew  him, 
and   turned   the   kingdom    unto   David   the  son  of   Jesse. 

Compare  also  2  Kings  21  :l-6 ;  Lev.  20 :6 ;  Deut.  18 :10, 
12;  Rev.  21:8. 

(g)  Show  that  it  is  a  repudiation  of  God-s  revelation 
in  His  Word, 

Isa.  8:19,  20: 

And  when  they  shall  say  unto  you,  Seek  unto  them  that 
have  familiar  spirits,  and  unto  wizards  that  peep  and 
that  mutter:  should  not  a  people  seek  unto  their  God? 
for  the  living  to  the  dead? 

To  the  law  and  to  the  testimony :  if  they  speak  not 
according  to  this  word,  it  is  because  there'  is  no  light 
in  them. 


Compare  also  Luke  16 :27-31. 


162  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINKING 

If  in  this  connection  the  Spiritualist  should  refer  you 
to  the  Bible  story  of  the  appearance  of  Samuel  at  Endor 
(1  Sam.  28:11-20),  you  may  show  him  that  in  this  story 
Satan  impersonates  Samuel,  for  it  cannot  be  that  God, 
who  had  denied  information  to  Saul  in  legitimate  ways, 
would  now  grant  that  information  in  ways  which  met 
with  His  disapproval  and  upon  which  His  curse  rests. 

(h)  Finally,  apply  the  Scriptural  test  'by  whicH  we 
may  know  ichether  a  doctrine  is  of  God  or  not. 

This  test  is  found  in  1  John  4  :l-3 : 

Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  try  the  spirits 
whether  they  are  of  God:  because  mauy  false  prophets 
are    gone    out    into    the    world. 

Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  :  Every  spirit  that 
confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is  of 
God: 

And  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God :  and  this  is  that  spirit 
of  antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it  should  come ; 
and  even  now  alreadv  is  it  in  the  world. 

The  Scriptural  test  is  the  attitude  towards  Jesus 
Christ.  Spiritualism  denies  the  doctrines  of  Christ  set 
forth  in  these  verses,  therefore  Spiritualism  is  not  of 
God  :  it  is  anti-Christian. 

6.    Tlie  Jew. 

It  is  undoubtedly  harder  to  lead  a  Jew  than  one  of 
any  other  nationality  to  become  a  Christian.  Work 
among  the  Jews  has  met  with  less  numerical  success 
than  work  among  any  other  people.  The  principal  ob- 
jection of  the  Jew  to  the  Christian  religion  is  the 
acceptance  of  Jesus  Christ  as  the  Messiah  and  the  Son 
of  God.  It  is  doubtless  true  that  the  fear  of  p»ersecu- 
tion  also  keeps  many  Jews  from  becoming  Christians. 
These  two  thoughts  must  be  kept  prominent  in  the  mind 
in  dealing  with  these  people.  In  dealing  with  the 
Jews,  use  the  following  method : 

(a)  Show  from  the  Old  Testament  Scriptures  that 
Jesus  IS  the  Christ. 


MISLED   BY  ERROXEOUS  VIEWS  163 

This  may  be  done  by  taking  the  words:  ''This  was 
written  tJiat  it  might  be  fulfilled,"  as  found  in  the 
Scriptures  (in  Matthew^,  for  example),  and  refer- 
ring to  the  events  in  the  Old  Testament  which  in  this 
passage  claim  to  have  been  fulfilled.  Endeavor  to  show 
that  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament,  in  whom  all 
these  things  were  fulfilled,  was  the  promised  Messiah 
of  the  Old  Testament.  One  reason  why  Jews  reject 
Jesus  Christ  as  the  Messiah  is  because  of  His  humilia- 
tion and  suffering,  the  which  were  considered  by  the 
Jews  of  our  Lord's  day,  as  they  are  considered  by  the 
Jews  of  our  day,  as  being  incompatible  with  the  Mes- 
siahship.  To  show  the  falsity  of  this  position  you  may 
refer  to  the  53rd  chapter  of  Isaiah,  the  22nd  and  69th 
Psalms,  and  Zechariah  12:10 — all  of  which  are  recog- 
nized as  Messianic.  From  these  you  may  show  that  the 
picture  of  Christ  in  the  Old  Testament  was  that  of  a 
suffering  as  well  as  a  reigning  Messiah. 

(h)  It  will  he  well  to  show  from  the  hook  of  Hehrcws 
hoiv  that  the  Old  Testament  sacrificial  economy  has 
heen  done  away  in  Christ,  and  that  salvation  is  note  to 
he  found  only  in  the  shed  hlood  of  Christ. 

The  8th  and  10th  chapters  of  Hebrew^s  in  particular 
emphasize  this  truth. 

fc)  Shoiv  the  nature  of  the  punishment  that  comes 
hecause  of  the  rejection  of  Jesus  Christ  as  Saviour. 

Some  of  the  most  solemn  passages  in  the  Bible  deal 
with  this  phase  of  the  question. 

Heb.  10:26-29: 

For  if  we  sin  willfully  after  that  we  have  received 
the  knowledge  of  the  truth,  there  remaineth  no  more 
sacrifice  for   sins, 

But  a  certain  fearful  looking  for  of  judgment  and 
fiery    indignation,    which    shall    devour    the    adversaries. 

He  that  despised  Moses'  law  died  without  mercy  under 
two  or  three  witnesses  : 

Of  how  much  sorer  punishment,  suppose  ye,  shall  he 
be  thought  worthy,  who  hath  trodden  under  foot  the 
Son  of  God,  and  hath  counted  the  blood  of  the  covenant, 
wherewith  he  was  sanctified,  an  unholy  thing,  and  hath 
done   despite   unto  the  Spirit  of  grace? 


164  PERSOXAL  SOUL-WIXXIXG 

Compare  also  Heb.  6:4-6.     Study  these  passages  in 
the  Revised  Version 

(d)  If  the  fear  of  persecution  is  keeping  the  Jetv  from 
hecoming  a  Christian^  use  the  following  scriptures: 

2  Tim.  2:12: 

If  we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him  :  if  we  deny 
him,   ne  also  will   deny   us : 

Acts  5  :40,  41 : 

And  to  him  they  agreed :  and  when  they  had  called 
the  apostles,  and  beaten  them,  they  commanded  that  they 
should  not  speak  in  the  name  of  Jesus,  and  let  them  go. 

And  they  departed  from  the  presence  of  the  council, 
rejoicing  that  they  were  counted  worthy  to  suffer  shame 
for  his  name. 

Compare  also  2  Cor.  4:17;  1  Peter  2:20,  21. 


7.    The  Christian  Scientist. 

In  dealing  with  the  Christian  Science  delusion,  the 
Christian  worker  needs  to  guard  against  two  things : 
underestimating  it,  or  overestimating  it.  Its  influence 
is  subtle  and  far-reaching,  but  it  is  not  so  tremendously 
extensive  and  influential  as  many  adherents  of  the  sect 
would  have  us  believe.  The  Christian  need  not  be 
thrown  into  despair  by  any  swelling  reports  of  its 
teachings  covering  the  whole  world.  ^'Christian 
Science  is  neither  to  be  ridiculed  nor  feared;  to  be 
marvelled  at  nor  tampered  with,  but  examined  and 
classified  in  the  light  of  the  only  divine  Revelation'' — 
James  M.  Gray. 

Neither  should  we  be  misled  by  the  signs  and  won- 
ders it  professes  to  be  able  to  perform.  That  these  are 
not  in  themselves  signs  of  their  religion  being  from 
God  is  evident  from  the  fact  that  such  signs  accom- 
pany the  great  apostasy  of  the  latter  days  at  whose 
head  is  Satan.  Read  Matt.  7:22,  23;  2  Thess.  2:8,  9; 
2  Cor.  11 :14,  15 ;  Mark  13 :22,  23.     Pharoah's  wise  men 


MISLED  BY  ERROXEOVS  VIEWS  16o 


and  astrologers  were  able  to  iiiiitate  God's  servants, 
Moses  and  Aaron,  bv  producing  similar  wonders. 

The  Christian  worker  should  know  in  what  respects 
Christian  Science  contradicts  the  Bible.  ''To  the  law 
and  to  the  testimony:  if  they  speak  not  acccording 
to  this  Word,  it  is  because  there  is  no  light  in  them" 
(Isa.  8:20).  The  following  arrangement,  taken  from 
The  Christian  Science  Delusion,  by  Dr.  A.  C.  Dixon, 
with  his  kind  permission,  sets  before  us  in  a  concise 
way  the  teachings  of  Christian  Science  and  the  Bible 
contrasted  (the  quotations  from  Science  and  Health 
being  of  the  edition  of  1909)  : 

''Christian  Science  is  a  turning  from  the  truth  of 
revelation  to  the  myths  of  imagination,  as  will  appear 
by  the  following  comparisons: 


The      Christian      Science 
myth  says : 

The  mere  habit  of  pleading  with 
the  divine  mind,  as  one  pleads 
with  a  human  being,  perpetuates 
the  belief  in  God  as  humanly  cir- 
cumscribed—an error  which  im- 
pedes spiritual  growth,      (p.  2.) 

God  is  not  influenced  by  man. 
(p.  7.) 


One  sacrifice,  however  great,  is 
insufficient  to  pay  the  debt  of  sin. 
(p.  23.) 

The  atonement  requires  constant 
self-immolation  on  the  sinner's 
part     (p.  23.) 

Jesus'  students,  not  sufficiently 
advanced  fully  to  understand  their 
Master's  triumph,  did  not  perform 
many  wonderful  works  until  they 
saw  him  after  his  crucifixion,  and 
learned  that  he  had  not  died.  (pp. 
45,  46.)  ^^ 

This  Comforter  I  understand  to 
be  Divine  Science,     (p.  55.) 


The   Truth  of  Revelation 
says : 

Tf  ye  then,  being  evil,  know  how 
to  give  good  gifts  unto  vour  chil- 
dren, how  much  more  shall  your 
Father  in  heaven  give  good  things 
to  them  that  ask  him?  (Matt 
7:11.) 

Whatsoever  ye  shall  ask  in  my 
name,  that  will  I  do,  that  the 
Lather  may  be  glorified  in  the 
Son.     (John  14:13.) 

Now  once  in  the  end  of  the 
world  hath  he  appeared  to  put 
away  sin  by  the  sacrifice  of  him- 
self.     (Heb.   9:26.) 

Being  justified  by  faith,  we  have 
peace  with  God  through  our  Lord 
Jesus  Christ.      (Rom.  5:1.) 

Christ  both  died  and  rose. 
(Rom.   14:9.) 


I  will  pray  the  Father,  and  he 
shall  give  you  alnother  Comforter, 
that  he  may  abide  with  you  for- 
ever —  He  shall  teach  you  all 
things,  and  bring  all  things  to 
your  remembrance.  (John  14  :16. 
26.) 


166 


PERSOXAL  SOUL-WIXXIXG 


Tlie      Christian      Science 
myth : 


The  Truth  of  Revelation : 


The  supposition  that  —  there 
are  good  and  evil  spirits  is  a  mis- 
take ....  Evil  has  no  reality,  (pp. 
70,  71.) 

He  restored  Lazarus  by  the  un- 
derstanding that  he  never  died, 
(p.  75.) 

He  never  described  disease,  (p. 
79.) 

Miracles  are  impossible  in 
science,      (p.    83.) 

Death  is  not  a  stepping  stone  to 
life,  immortality  and  bliss.  (p. 
203.) 

Decrepitude  is  not  according  to 
law,  nor  is  it  a  necessity  of  na- 
ture, but  an  illusion,  that  may  be 
avoided.      (1902  Edition,  p.  245.) 


God    ... 
(p.  335.) 


never  created  matter. 


The  theory  of  three  persons  in 
one  God— that  is,  a  personal 
trinity— suggests  polytheism 
(heathen  gods,  1902  edition) 
rather  than  the  ever-present  I 
am.      (p.  256.) 

Man  co-exists  with  God  and  the 
universe,      (p.  266.) 

In  the  infinitude  of  mind  mat- 
ter must  be  unknown  (1902  Edi- 
tion reads— Matter  is  unknown  in 
the  infinitude  of  mind.     p.  280.) 

Man  has  a  sensationless  body, 
(p.   280.) 


In  that  same  hour  he  (Jesus) 
cured  many  —  of  evil  spirits. 
(Luke  7:21.) 

Then  said  Jesus  unto  them 
plainly,  Lazarus  is  dead.  (John 
11:14.) 

Jesus  ....  rebuked  the  foul  spirit, 
saying  unto  him,  Thou  dumb  and 
deaf  spirit.      (Mark  9:25.) 

Many  believed  in  his  name  when 
they  saw  the  miracles  which  he 
did.     (John  2:23.) 

To  depart  and  be  with  Christ, 
which  is  far  better.  (Phil.  1 :23.) 
Absent  from  the  body,  present 
with  the  Lord.     (2  Cor.  5:8.) 

The  hoary  head  is  a  crown  of 
glory,  if  it  be  found  in  the  way 
of  righteousness.      (Prov.  16:31.) 


In  the  beginning  God  created 
the  heaven  and  the  earth.  (Gen. 
1:1.) 

Baptizing  them  in  the  name  of 
the  Father,  and  of  the  Son,  and 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.  ^Matt.  28: 
19.) 


God  created  man.     (Gen.  1:27.) 

He  is  the  saviour  of  the  body. 
(Eph.   5:23.) 


She  felt   in  her  body   that  she 
was  healed.      (Mark  5:29.) 


Spirit  and  matter  no  more  com- 
mingle than  light  and  darkness ; 
when  one  appears  the  other  dis- 
appears,     (p.   281.) 

Truth  demonstrated  is  eternal 
life.      (p.   289.) 


Heaven  is  not  a  locality.  (p. 
291.) 

No  final  judgment  awaits  mor- 
tals,     (p.  291.) 

Evil  is  not  made  and  is  not  real, 
(p.  311.) 


Your  body  is  the  temple  of  the 
Holy  Ghost.     (1  Cor.  6:19.) 


This  is  life  eternal,  that  they 
might  know  thee  the  only  true 
God,  and  Jesus  Christ,  whom  thou 
hast  sent.     (John  17:3.) 

I  go  to  prepare  a  place  for  you. 
(John  14:2.) 

It  is  appointed  unto  men  once 
to  die,  but  after  this  the  judg- 
ment.     (Heb.   9:27.) 

Abhor  that  which  is  evil, 
(Rom.  12:9.) 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         167 

It  is  a  sense  of  sin,  and  not  a  What  is  a  man  profited,   if  he 

sinful    feoul,    which    is    lost.       (p.  shall   gain   the    whole    world   and 

311.)  \ose  his  own  soul?     (Matt.  10  :26.) 

Because  soul   is  immortal,   soul  The  soul  that  sinneth,   it  shall 

cannot  sin.     (p.  468.)  die.      (Ezek.    18:4.) 

The  second  appearance  of  Jesus  I  will  come  again.    (John  14:3.) 

is  unquestionably  the  spiritual  ad-  This   same  Jesus,   which   is  taken 

vent    of    the    advancing    idea    of  up  from  you  into  heaven,  shall  so 

God  in  Christian  Science.   ("Auto-  come   in  like   manner  as  ye  have 

biography,"  p.  06.)  seen  him  go  into  heaven.      (Acta 

1:11.) 


Dealing  Specifically  with  the  Christian  Scientist. 

(1)  Christian  Science  virtually,  indeed  really,  denies 
the  'personality  of  God. 

It  is  true  that  its  terms  denying  the  personality  of 
God  are  somewhat  ambiguous,  but  in  their  final  analy- 
sis they  deny  it.  In  commenting  on  1  Tim.  2.3,  4, 
which  reads  as  follows : 

For  this  is  good  and  acceptable  in  the  sight  of  God 
our  Saviour ;  who  will  have  all  men  to  be  saved,  and 
to  come   unto   the   knowledge  of   the   truth. 

Christian  Science  says:  ^That  which  will  have  all 
men  to  be  saved  is  principle,  spirit,  not  person."  It 
is  considered  by  Christian  Science  authorities  that  no 
one  can  become  an  adept  in  that  science,  as  a  healer  and 
teacher,  without  absolutely  relinquishing  the  idea  of 
a  divine  personality.  Christian  Science  is,  therefore, 
really  pantheistic.  It  speaks  of  "the  absolute  allness 
of  God";  God  is  good,  good  is  God,  truth  is  God,  love 
is  God.  According  -to  this,  the  answer  of  Christian 
Science  to  the  question,  "What  is  God?"  is  as  follows: 
"God  is  not  a  person ;  God  is  mind  or  principle." 

The  Christian  worker  must  show  from  the  Scriptures 
that  this  idea  of  God  is  a  false  one.  In  the  Bible, 
God  is  presented  as  a  living  God,  who  sees,  who  feels, 
has  intelligence  and  power;  who  acts  in  behalf  of  His 
children,  and  who,  by  His  providence,  guides  and  con- 
trols in  the  affairs  of  men.  The  following  passages 
may  be  used  to  set  forth  this  truth: 


168  PER80XAL  SOUL-WINXING 

Acts  U  :15 : 

And  saying,  Sirs,  why  do  ye  thesse  things?  We  also 
are  men  of  like  passions  with  you,  and  preach  unto  you 
that  ye  should  turn  from  these  vanities  unto  the  living 
God,  which  made  heaven,  and  earth,  and  the  sea,  and  all 
things  that  are  therein. 

Also  1  Thess.  1 :9 : 

For  they  themselves  shew  of  us  what  manner  of  enter- 
ing in  we'  had  unto  you,  and  how  ye  turned  to  God  from 
idols  to  serve  the  living  and  true  God. 

See  also  Psalms  94:9,  10;  Jer.  10:10-16. 

(2)  Christian  Science  denies  the  true  doctrine  of 
Christ. 

(a)  It  denies  His  incarnation  by  saying  that  "the 
conception  of  Jesus  was  spiritual" — an  idea,  not  a 
person,  conceived  in  the  mind  of  the  virgin  whom  she 
called  Jesus." 

The  Bible  distinctly  contradicts  this  statement. 

Luke  1 :35 : 

And  the  angel  answered  and  said  unto  her.  The  Holy 
Ghost  shall  come  upon  thee,  and  the  power  of  the 
Highest  shall  overshadow  thee  :  therefore  also  that  holy 
thing  which  shall  be  born  of  thee  shall  be  called  the 
Son  of  God. 

Indeed  1  John  4  :l-3  especially  emphasizes  the  de- 
nial of  the  true  person  of  Christ  as  a  mark  of  the 
antichrist : 

Beloved,  believe  not  every  spirit,  but  tiT  the  spirits 
whether  they  are  of  God :  because  many  false  prophets 
are  gone  out   into   the   world. 

Hereby  know  ye  the  Spirit  of  God  :  Every  spirit  that 
confesseth  that  Jesus  Christ  is  come  in  the  flesh  is 
of   God. 

And  every  spirit  that  confesseth  not  that  Jesus  Christ 
is  come  in  the  flesh  is  not  of  God:  and  this  is  that 
spirit  of  antichrist,  whereof  ye  have  heard  that  it 
should  come  ;  and  even  now  already  is  it  in  the  world. 

In  Christian  Science,  "Jesus"  and  "Christ"  are  sepa- 
rated. "Christ"  is  supposed  to  be  something  of  a 
special  anointing  which  came  upon  Jesus  at  His  bap- 
tism and  left  Him  at  the  cross.  This  is  flatly  con- 
tradicted by  Scripture: 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  yiE]\S         l(i9 
1  John  5:6-8: 

This  is  he  that  came  by  water  and  blood,  even  Jesus 
Christ ;  not  by  water  only,  but  by  water  and  blood. 
And  it  is  the  Spirit  that  beareth  witness,  because  the 
Spirit  is  truth. 

For  there  are  three  that  bear  record  in  heaven,  the 
Father,  the  Word,  and  the  Holy  Ghost :  and  these  three 
are   one. 

And  there  are  three  that  bear  witness  in  earth,  the 
spirit,  and  the  water,  and  the  blood :  and  these  three 
agree  in  one. 

(b)  Christian  Science  denies  the  sacrificial  effect  of 
Christ's  death.  Indeed,  it  practically  denies  the  death 
of  Christ  altogether,  by  saying:  "Jesus'  students 
did  not  perform  many  wonderful  w^orks  until  they  saw 
Him  after  the  crucifixion,  and  learned  that  He  had  not 
died ;  He  was  merely  fainting  when  pitying  hands  took 
Him  down  from  the  cross ;  His  disciples  believed  Jesus 
dead  when  He  was  hidden  in  the  sepulchre  whereas  He 
was  alive." 

This,  of  course,  is  contrary  to  the  teaching  of  Scrip- 
ture : 

1  Cor.  15:1-4: 

Moreover,  brethren,  I  declare  unto  you  the  gospel  which 
I  preached  unto  you,  which  also  ye  have  received,  and 
wherein  ye  stand  ; 

By  which  also  ye  are  saved,  if  ye  keep  In  memory  what 
I   preached  unto  you,   unless  ye  have  believed  in   vain. 

For  I  delivered  unto  you  first  of  all  that  which  I 
also  received,  how  that  Christ  died  for  our  sins  ac- 
cording  to   the   Scriptures  ; 

And  that  he  was  buried,  and  that  he  rose  again  the 
third  day  according  to  the  Scriptures. 

Also  John  19 :30-35 : 

When  Jesus  therefore  had  received  the  vinegar,  he 
said.  It  is  finished :  and  he  bowed  his  head,  and  gave 
up  the  ghost. 

The  Jews  therefore,  because  it  was  the  preparation, 
that  the  bodies  should  not  remain  upon  the  cross  on 
the  sabbath  day,  (for  that  sabbath  day  was  a  high  day.) 
besought  Pilate  that  their  legs  might  be  broken,  aud 
that   they   might   be   taken   away. 

Then  came  the  soldiers,  and  brake  the  legs  of  the 
first,    and   of   the   other    which    was    crucified   with    him. 

But  when  they  came  to  Jesus,  and  saw  that  he  was 
dead  already,    they   brake  not  his  legs : 

But  one  of  the  soldiers  with  a  spear  pierced  his  side, 
and  forthwith  came  there  out  l^lood  and  water. 


170  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

And  he  that  saw  it  bare  record,  and  his  record  is 
true ;  and  he  knoweth  that  he  saith  true,  that  ye 
might  believe. 

And  Rom.  8:34;  14:15;  2  Cor.  5:14;  1  Thess.  4:14; 
Rom.  G:l-10. 

(c)     Christian  Science  denies  the  deity  of  Christ. 

Mrs.  Eddy  says,  ''Jesus  was  not  God's  son  in  an}'' 
other  sense  than  as  every  man  is  God's  son." 

This  virtually  makes  no  distinction  between  the 
divinity  of  Christ  and  the  divinity  of  all  men,  whereas 
the  Scriptures  distinctly  teaches  that  Jesus  Christ  was 
the  Son  of  God,  in  a  unique  sense — a  sense  which  can- 
not be  predicated  of  any  mere  human  being.  There 
never  was  a  time  when  Jesus  Christ  was  not  the  Son 
of  God.  As  a  child  He  was  honi,  but  as  a  Son  He  was 
never  born,  but  given  (Isa.  OiO).  We,  the  sons  of  men, 
are  the  sons  of  God  in  a  certain  sense  by  creation,  but 
there  is  another  and  a  higher  sense  in  which  a  man 
becomes  a  son  of  God  the  moment  he  believes  in  the 
Lord  Jesus  Christ.    See  the  following  passages : 

John  1 :18 : 

No  man  hath  seen  God  at  any  time;  the  only  begotten 
Son,  which  is  in  the  bosom  of  the  Father,  he  hath 
declared  him. 

Matt.  3 :17 : 

And  lo  a  voice  from  heaven,  saying.  This  is  my 
beloved   Son,   in  whom   I   am   well   pleased. 

Read  carefully  Matt.  21:33-46.  See  John  1:12,  13; 
also  Gal.  3:2G. 

(3)  Christian  Science  denies  the  true  doctrine  of 
sin. 

Christian  Science  says:  ^'Belief  in  sin  is  an  error; 
in  reality,  there  is  no  evil;  the  soul  cannot  sin;  sin 
is  not  real;  sin  is  an  illusion."  Through  the  denial 
of  error  [instead  of  through  His  stripes]  we  are  healed. 
In  the  Lord's  Prayer  as  used  by  them,  the  phrases 
"forgive  us  our  debts,"  and  ^'deliver  us  from  evil"  are 
explained  away.     That  this  is  contrary  to  the  teacli- 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS  171 

iag  of  Iho  Scriptures  is  ovidciit   from  a  slntly  of  llie 
following  refereuces : 

Rom.  5:12: 

Wherefore,  as  by  one  man  sin  entered  into  the  world, 
and  death  by  sin ;  and  so  death  passed  upon  all  men, 
for   that  all   have  sinned. 

Ezek.  18  :4 : 

Behold,  all  souls  are  mine ;  as  the  soul  of  the  father, 
so  also  the  soul  of  the  son  is  mine ;  the  soul  that  sin- 
neth,   it  shall   die. 

See  also  Jas.  1 :15,  and  John  8 :21-24. 

The  Scriptures  clearly  teach  us  that  Jesus  Christ 
came  into  the  world  to  die  for  sin.  If  there  be  no  such 
thing  as  sin  in  the  world,  then  Jesus  Christ  died  for  a 
tremendous  unreality. 

8.   "Ood  is  too  good  to  condemn  any  one." 

You  may  ask  the  question  to  what  v/e  are  indebted 
for  our  conception  of  the  character  of  God — is  it  not 
to  the  Bible?  On  what  do  we  build  our  hope  of  the 
future — is  it  not  on  the  Bible?  What  picture  of  God, 
therefore,  does  the  Bible  present  ?  Here  is  the  question 
the  worker  should  ask.  It  is  trne  that  the  Bible  pre- 
sents God  as  love  (1  John  4:8)  ;  it  also  presents  Him 
as  ''a  consuming  fire"  (Heb.  12:29).  In  2  Peter  3:9 
God  is  set  forth  as  both  loving  and  just. 

(a)  Show  the  purpose  of  GocVs  goodness  and  the 
danger  of  abusing  it. 

This  may  be  done  by  the  use  of  Romans  2 :4,  5 : 

Or  despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his  goodness  and  for- 
bearance and  longsufifering  ;  not  knowing  that  the  good- 
ness  of  God   leadeth   thee   to   repentance? 

But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest 
up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God. 

The  context  of  this  passage  shows  us  that  the  Jews 
counted  themselves  within  the  pale  of  God's  mercy, 


172  PERSONAL  SOUL-WIXXIXO 

while  the  Gentiles  were  regarded  bv  them  as  outside  of 
this  mercy,  and  that  even  though  the  Jews  were  incon- 
sistent in  life,  they  would  be  saved  because  they  were 
within  the  pale  of  God's  mercy.  The  apostle  shows 
them  that  their  reliance  on  God's  tolerance  to  suspend 
the  rule  of  His  administration  in  their  case  is  virtual 
contempt.  They  are  thereby  simply  storing  up  to 
themselves  wrath  because  of  their  abuse  of  God's  mercy. 

Romans  2 :4,  5  : 

Or  despiscst  thou  the  riches  of  Bis  goodness  and  for- 
bearance and  longsuffering ;  not  knowing  that  the  good- 
ness of  God  leadeth  thee  to  repentance? 

But  after  thy  hardness  and  impenitent  heart  treasurest 
up  unto  thyself  wrath  against  the  day  of  wrath  and 
revelation  of  the  righteous  judgment  of  God. 

Show  them  from  these  verses  the  purpose  of  God's 
goodness — to  lead  them  to  repentance. 

Ezek.  33:11  and  2  Peter  3:9-11  teach  us,  that,  while 
God  longs  to  have  us  saved,  yet  if  we  do  not  turn  from 
our  sins,  judgment,  though  temporarily  suspended,  will 
finally  fall  upon  us. 

(h)  It  will  he  tvell  to  show  the  inquirer  that  the 
revelation  of  God  we  possess  in  the  Bible,  distinctly  de- 
clares that  the  goodness  of  God  does  not  prohibit  His 
justice  being  executed.    For  this  purpose  use 

2  Peter  2 :4-6 : 

For  if  God  spared  not  the  angels  that  sinned,  but 
cast  them  down  to  hell,  and  delivered  them  into  chains 
of  darkness,   to  be  reserved  unto  judgment ; 

And  spared  not  the  old  world,  but  saved  Noah  the 
eighth  person,  a  preacher  of  righteousness,  bringing  in 
the  flood  upon  the  world  of  the  ungodly  ; 

And  turning  the  cities  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  into 
ashes,  condemned  them  with  an  overthrow,  making  them 
an  ensample  unto  those  that  after  should  live  ungodly. 

These  verses  not  only  show  what  God  did  do,  but 
also  what  God  will  do.  Indeed,  we  are  told  that  what 
lie  did  to  the  Antediluvians  was  an  ensample  to  the 
ungodly. 

(c)  Finally,  read  Mattliew  25:31-46. 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS         173 
9.   The  Miileunial  Dawnist, 

We  here  set  forth  a  general  view  of  the  doctrines  of 
this  phase  of  religious  belief,  and  some  brief  sugges- 
tions as  to  how  to  answer  them. 

1.    Millennial  Dawnism  denies  the  deity  and  the  hu- 

tnanity  of  Jesus  Christ. 

Its  faith  may  be  expressed  somewhat  in  this  manner: 

Jesus  Christ  was  not  always  divine ;  He  was  a  created 
being  of  the  very  highest  order;  a  god,  but  not  God; 
He  was  called  God  only  in  an  inferior  and  derived 
sense;  He  is  never  called  Jehovah  anywhere  in  the 
Scriptures,  nor  does  He  declare  Himself  to  be  God; 
like  Adam,  He  was  merely  a  man,  untainted  and  sinless 
— but  only  a  man,  and  consequently  mortal.  His  death 
was  the  death  of  a  mere  man.  His  human  nature  had 
to  be  consecrated  to  death  before  He  could  receive  even 
the  pledge  of  the  divine  nature.  Not  until  He  had 
actually  sacrificed  the  human  nature  even  unto  death 
did  He  become  partaker  of  the  divine  nature,  and 
since  His  resurrection  He  is  what  He  never  was  before, 
that  is,  a  God.  Only  in  this  sense  do  the  Millennial 
Dawnists  acknowledge  Christ  as  divine. 

Christ's  humanity  is  denied.  Jesus  Christ  is  no 
longer  a  man.  At  the  resurrection  His  body  evaporated 
into  gases,  or  is  preserved  by  God  as  a  memorial  in 
some  secluded  part  of  the  universe.  The  body  of  Jesus- 
Christ  was  not  raised  at  the  resurrection.  What  wa^ 
raised  was  an  entirely  new  creation,  and  not  the  bodj- 
which  had  been  put  in  the  tomb.  When  Christ  died 
His  entire  humanity  died  with  Him,  and  was  not  raised 
again. 

How  TO  Meet  This  False  Belief. 

(a)  Show  that  the  Scriptures  assert  the  real  deity  of 
Christ. 


174  PER  SOX  AL  SOUL-WIXXIXa 

John  1 :1 : 

In  the  beginning  was  the  Word,  and  the  Word  was  with 
God,   and  the  Word  was  God. 

This  verse  teaches  thai:  the  Word  was  not  from,  but 
in  the  beginning;  that  the  Word  was  God,  not  a  God. 
If  the  objection  is  made  that  the  "Word"  here  refers  to 
spoken  utterances  and  not  to  Jesus  Christ,  the  14th 
verse,  clearly  indicates  that  the  "Word"  in  verse  1  is 
the  incarnate  Word. 

Col.  1:16,  17: 

For  by  him  were  all  things  created,  that  are  in  heaven, 
and  that  are  in  earth,  visible  and  invisible,  whether  they 
be  thrones,  or  dominions,  or  piincipalities,  or  powers  ;  all 
things  were  created  by  him,  and  for  him  : 

And  he  is  before  all  things,  and  by  him  all  things  con- 
sist. 

These  verses  show  that  Jesus  Christ  was  not  a  created 
being,  but  the  Creator  of  all  existing  beings.  In  other 
words,  the  Christ  of  Colossians  1  is  the  God  of  Genesis 
1.  Millennial  Dawnism  is  a  revival  of  Gnosticism  with 
which  Paul  deals  so  fully  in  Colossians. 

That  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  dwelt  bodily  in 
Christ,  both  before  and  during  His  incarnation,  is  evi- 
denced from  Colossians  2  :9. 

A  comparison  of  John  8 :58  with  Exodxis  3 :13  shows 
that  we  may  legitimately  say  that  Christ  applied  the 
name  Jehovah  to  Himself.  In  John  12 :38-41  it  is  dis- 
tinctly stated  that  the  glory  of  Jehovah  which  Israel 
saw  was  the  glory  of  the  Christ  of  the  New  Testament. 

Further,  a  comparison  of  1  Cor.  2 :11  with  John  1 :18, 
shows  clearly  that  no  mere  human  being  could  reveal 
God. 

(a)  Shoiv  that  the  Scriptures  assert  the  real  human- 
ity of  Christ. 

The  Millennial  Dawnist  denies  the  humanity  of 
Christ.    In  contradistinction  to  this  belief,  the  Apostle 


MISLED  BY  ERRONEOUS  VIEWS  175 

Paul   clearly  and  distinctly  affirms  the  humanity  of 
Christ  in  1  Tim.  2  :5  : 

For  there  is  one  God.  and  one  mediator  between  God 
and  men,  the  man  Christ  Jesus  ; 

Christ  himself  asserts  the  reality  of  His  resurrec- 
tion body,  and  indeed  its  identity,  with  the  body  He 
had  before  His  resurrection: 

Luke  21:39: 

Behold  my  hands  and  my  feet,  that  it  is  I  myself : 
handle  me,  and  see  ;  for  a  spirit  hath  not  flesh  and  bones, 
as  ye  see  me  have. 

It  was  the  Son  of  Man  whom  Stephen  saw  in  his 
dying  vision  (Acts  7:56).  It  is  the  same  Christ  of 
whose  identity  the  disciples  were  assured  (Luke 
21:39),  and  whose  person  Thomas  was  allowed  to 
scrutinize  and  handle  (John  20 :21-29),  whom  the  angels 
announced  is  coming  again  personally  and  visibly 
(Acts  1:11). 

2.    Millennial   Daicnism    denies    the   true   Sct^iptural 

teaching  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

The  following  is  taken  from  Mr.  Russell's  work,  The 
Atonement,  pages  165-1G6 :  ''And  equally  consistent  is 
the  Scriptural  teaching  regarding  the  Holy  Spirit, 
that  it  is  not  another  God,  but  the  spirit,  influence,  or 
power  exercised  by  the  one  God,  our  Father.  The 
Three-in-One  doctrine  suits  well  the  dark  ages." 

(a)  The  Script m^e  clearly  teaches  hoth  the  personal- 
ity and  deity  of  the  Holy  Spirit. 

In  John  16 :13, 14,  the  personal  pronoun  ^'he"  is  seven 
times  used  of  the  Holy  Ghost.  It  is  true  that  in  Rom. 
8:16  the  neuter  pronoun  'itself  is  used,  but  the  Re- 
vised Version  properly  translates  the  word  "himself." 

Personal  acts  are  ascribed  to  the  Holy  Spirit:  He 
speaks ;  He  searches  the  deep  things  of  God ;  He  makes 
intercession ;  He  takes  the  place  of  a  person,  the  Lord 


176  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

Jesus  Christ  (Rev.  2:7;  1  Cor.  2:10;  Rom.  8:26;  John 
14:16).  He  may  be  lied  against  and  blasphemed  (Acts 
5:3;  Matt.  12:31,32). 

If  the  Holy  Spirit  were  not  a  divine  person  it  would 
hardly  seem  right  to  use  His  name  as  being  of  equal 
importance  and  majesty  with  that  of  the  Father  and  Son, 
as  is  done  in  the  baptism  formula  (Matt.  28:19),  and 
the  Apostolic  benediction  (2  Cor.  13:14). 

3.    Millennial  Dawnism   believes  in  probation  after 

death. 

It  declares  that  the  impenitent  will  have  a  second  op- 
portunity to  accept  the  Gospel. «  ''The  ransom  for  all, 
given  by  the  man,  Christ  Jesus,  does  not  guarantee  or 
give  everlasting  life  or  blessing  to  every  man,  but  it 
does  guarantee  to  every  man  another  trial  for  life  ever- 
lasting. The  restoration  to  perfect  human  nature  will 
be  accomplished  gradually  during  the  millennial  age — 
^the  time  of  restitution.'  " 

The  parable  of  the  Rich  Man  and  Lazarus  (Luke 
16:19-31)  distinctly  teaches  us  that  the  period  of 
human  probation  ends  at  death,  and  that  the  state  in 
which  death  finds  a  man  is  the  state  in  which  he  shall 
remain  during  all  eternity. 

Compare  also  the  following  passages:  Revelation 
22:11,  which  teaches  that  as  death  and  the  judgment 
finds  a  man,  so  he  will  remain  throughout  all  eternity ; 
2  Corinthians  6 :2,  which  distinctly  states  that  ''Now  is 
the  day  of  salvation";  Hebrews  2:3,  which  shows  us 
that  there  is  no  escape  in  the  future  for  any  rejection  of 
the  Gospel  in  this  life ;  John  5 :28,  29,  clearly  teach  that 
the  wicked  are  raised  not  for  the  purpose  of  being  given 
a  second  chance,  but  for  the  purpose  of  receiving  their 
judgment  of  condemnation. 


THE  OBSTINATE 


CHAPTER  XIV. 


X.     THE   OBSTINATE. 

THERE  are  some  people  who,  like  Pharaoh  of  old, 
sin  against  God  with  a  high  hand  and  a  hard 
face.  They  saj :  ''Who  is  the  Lord,  that  I  should  serve 
and  obey  Him?  Away  with  you,  I  don't  want  to  hear 
about  God  and  your  religion."  They  have  made  up 
their  minds  firmly  to  pursue  an  evil  course.  Like  Ahab 
of  old,  they  have  determined  not  to  serve  God,  and, 
seemingly,  no  quality  of  human  effort  on  the  part  of  the 
most  earnest  Christian  has  the  slightest  influence  in 
turning  them  from  their  evil  course. 

This  class  of  peoT)le  may  be  recognized  by  the  follow- 
ing excuses : 

1.    "I  don't  want  you  to  talk  to  me." 

The  duty  of  the  Christian  worker  is  to  talk  to  them 
anyway.  We  must  not  shirk  our  duty  of  speaking 
to  and  warning  them  against  the  error  of  their 
ways.  The  following  passages  are  helpful  in  dealing 
with  this  class: 

Jer.  1:17: 

Thou  therefore  gird  up  thy  loins,  and  arise,  and  speak 
unto  them  all  that  I  command  thee  :  be  not  dismayed  at 
their  faces,  lest  I  confound  thee  before  them. 

Ezek.  3:11: 

And  go,  get  thee  to  them  of  the  captivity,  unto  the 
children  of  thy  people,  and  speak  unto  them,  and  tell 
them,  Thus  saith  the  Lord  God  ;  whether  they  will  hear, 
or  whether  they  will  forbear. 

2  Cor.  2  :15-17  : 

For  we  are  unto  God  a  sweet  savour  of  Christ,  in  them 
that  are  saved,   and  lu  them  that  perish : 

179 


180  PER^OyAL  ^OUL-WIXNING 

To  the  one  we  are  the  savour  of  death  uuto  death  * 
and  to  the  other  the  savour  of  life  unto  life.  And  who 
is  sufficient  for  these  things? 

For  we  are  not  as  many,  which  corrupt  the  word  of 
God :  but  as  of  sincerity,  but  as  of  God,  in  the  sight 
of  God  speak   we  in   Christ. 

Show  them   the   punishment  for   such   stout   obsti- 
nacy; that  such  imperiousness  cannot  escape  judgment. 

Psa.  81 :12 : 

So  I  gave  them  up  unto  their  own  hearts'  lust :  and 
they  walked  in  their  own  counsels. 

Eccl.  11:9;  Rom.  2:8,  9. 
Rom.  1 :21-25 : 

Because  that,  when  they  knew  God,  they  glorified  him 
not  as  God,  neither  were  thankful ;  but  became  vain  in 
their  imaginations,  and  their  foolish  heart  was  darkened. 

Professing   themselves    to    be   wise,    they    became   fools, 

And  changed  the  glory  of  the  uncorruptible  God  into 
an  image  made  like  to  corruptible  man,  and  to  birds, 
and  fourfooted  beasts,   and  creeping  things. 

Wherefore  God  also  gave  them  up  to  uncleanliness, 
through  the  lusts  of  their  own  hearts,  to  dishonor  their 
own   bodies   between   themselves : 

Who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  worshipped 
and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator,  who  is 
blessed  for  ever.     Amen. 

Rev.  22 :11 : 

He    that    is    unjust,    let   him    be    unjust   still :  and   he 

which   is   filthy,    let   him   be   filthy   still :   and  he  that   is 

righteous,    let    him    be    righteous    still :    and    he  that   is 
holy,  let  him  be  holy  still. 

2.    "I  want  to  have  my  own  way.'* 

Well,  that  is  their  prerogative;  but  show  them  what 
God  thinks  about  this  unreasonable  desire : 

Trov.  U  :12 : 

There  is  a  way  which  seemeth  right  unto  a  man ;  but 
the  end  thereof  are  the  ways  of  death. 

Prov.  12:15: 

The  way  of  a  fool  is  right  in  his  own  eyes :  but  he 
that   hearkeneth    unto   counsel    is   wise. 


THE  OB  ST ly  ATE  181 


Prov.  30  :12 : 


There  is  a  generation  tliat  are  pure  in  tli^ir  own  eyes, 
and  yet   is  not   washed  from   their   filthiness. 

Matt.  7:13, 14: 

Enter  ye  in  at  the  strait  gate  :  for  wide  is  the  gate,  and 
broad  is  the  way,  that  leadeth  to  destruction,  and  many, 
there  be  which  go  in  thereat : 

Because  strait  is  the  gate,  and  narrow  is  the  way, 
which  leadeth  unto  life,  and  few  there  be  that  find  it. 

1  Pet.  4  :17,  18  : 

For  the  time  is  come  that  judgment  must  begin  at 
the  house  of  God  :  and  if  it  first  begin  at  us,  what  shall 
the  end  be  of  them  that  obey  not  the  gospel  of  God? 

And  if  the  righteous  scarcely  be  saved,  where  shall 
the  ungodly  and  the  sinner  appear? 

3.    "I  Lave  made  up  my  mind  to  have  a  good  time  in  this 
world,  and  I  don't  care  about  the  world  to  come." 

(a)  k^how  the  folly  of  this  course: 
Luke  16 :25 : 

But  Abraham  said,  Son,  remember  that  thou  in  thy 
lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  likewise  Lazarus 
evil  things :  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art  tor- 
mented. 

Luke  12 :15 : 

And  he  said  unto  them.  Take  heed,  and  beware  of  covet- 
ousness :  for  a  man's  life  consisteth  not  in  the  abun- 
dance of  the  things  which  he  possesseth. 

Luke  12 :19-21 : 

And  I  will  say  to  my  soul,  Sonl,  thou  hast  much 
goods  laid  up  for  many  years ;  take  thine  ease,  eat. 
drink,  and  be  merry. 

But  God  said  unto  him,  Thou  fool,  this  night  thy  soul 
shall  be  required  of  thee  :  then  whose  shall  those  things 
be,  which  thou  hast  provided? 

So  is  he  that  layeth  up  treasure  for  himself,  and  is 
not    rich    toward    God. 

1  Cor.  15  :32,  31 : 

If  after  the  manner  of  men  I  have  fought  with  beasts 
at  Ephesus,  what  advantageth  it  me,  if  the  dead  rise  not? 
let  us  eat  and  drink  ;  for  tomorrow  we  die. 

Awake  to  righteousness,  and  sin  not ;  for  some  have 
not  the  knowledge  of  God:  I  speak  this  to  your  shame. 


182  PER  soy  AL  SOUL-WINNING 

(h)  SJtoiv  thai  (Joel  iv ill  judge  them  for  tlioie  things. 
Eccl.  11:9: 

Rejoice,  O  young  man,  in  thy  youth ;  and  let  thy  heart 
cheer  thee  in  the  days  of  thy  youth,  and  walk  in  the 
ways  of  thine  heart,  and  in  the  sight  of  thine  eyes  :  but 
know  thou,  that  for  all  these  things  God  will  bring 
thee    into  judgment. 

2  Pet.  2 :12 : 

But  these,  as  natural  brute  beasts  made  to  be  taken  and 
destroyed,  speak  evil  of  the  things  that  they  under- 
stand'not;  and  shall  utterly  perish  in  their  own  cor- 
ruption. 

Bee  also  Horn.  2  :5-ll. 


THE  SKEPTIC 


CHAPTER  XV. 


XI.     THE   SKEPTIC. 

THE  Christian  worker  who  is  anxious  for  the  pro- 
mulgation of  God's  kingdom  on  earth,  must  equip 
himself  to  meet  those  forms  of  unbelief  so  prevalent  in 
our  day.  Mere  arguments,  elaborately  stated  and  elo- 
quently discussed,  cannot  meet  this  great  need  of  turn- 
ing the  night  of  infidelity  into  the  day  of  Christian 
light.  The  Word  of  God  alone,  as  used  by  the  Holy 
Spirit,  can  turn  our  darkness  into  light,  and  pur  unbe- 
lief into  faith.  Our  arguments  should  not  be  "carnal" 
but  "spiritual." 

There  are  two  classes  of  skeptics — the  insincere,  and 
the  serious-minded.  In  dealing  with  them,  it  is  well 
to  find  out  by  asking  questions  to  which  class  they 
belong. 

The  Insincere  Skeptic. 

In  dealing  with  the  insincere  skex)tic,  you  may  use 
the  following  method : 

(a)  Show  the  cause  of  his  skepticism. 
This  may  be  done  by  the  use  of: 

Rom.  1 :25,  28  : 

Who  changed  the  truth  of  God  into  a  lie,  and  wor- 
shipped and  served  the  creature  more  than  the  Creator, 
who   is   blessed  forever. 

And  even  as  they  did  not  like  to  retain  God  in  their 
knowledge,  God  srave  them  over  to  a  reprobate  mind, 
to   do   those   things   which   are   not   convenient. 

These  verses  reveal  the  real  cause  of  skepticism. 
At  its  root,  its  cause  is  moral  rather  than  intellectual. 
It  would  be  well  to  read  verses  19-28  entire  to  the  in- 

185 


18G  PERSONAL  SOUL-WiyyiNG 

qiiirer.    Seek  to  find  out  if  there  is  not  some  sin  in  his 
life  that  is  the  cause  of  his  skepticism. 

Also  John  8 :47 : 

He  that  is  of  God  heareth  God's  words  :  ye  therefore 
hear  them  not,   because  ye  are   not  of   God. 

(h)  Show  the  fatal  consequences  of  such  skepticism. 
2  Thess.  2  :10, 12  : 

And  with  all  deceivableness  of  unrighteousn^^ss  in  them 
that  perish ;  because  they  received  not  the  love  of  the 
truth,    that   they   might   be   saved. 

That  they  all  might  be  damned  who  believed  not  the 
truth,  but  had  pleasure  in  unrighteousness. 

Also  2  Thess.  1 :7-9. 

The  Earnest-minded  Skeptic. 

Some  skeptics  claim  to  be  sincere  in  their  skepticism. 
The}'  profess  to  desire  to  believe,  but  find  themselves  un- 
able to  do  so.  This  class  of  skeptics  may  express  them- 
selves in  the  following  way : 

**I  cnnuot  believe." 

Ask  them  just  what  they  think  ''believing"  is.  Show 
them  that  the  faith  which  they  are  called  upon  to  exer- 
cise in  order  to  be  saved  is  of  the  same  nature  as  that 
which  they  are  called  upon  to  use,  and  indeed,  are 
using,  daily  in  business,  social  and  domestic  life — the 
only  difference  being  in  the  object  of  that  faith.  To 
believe  in  a  person  is  to  accept  what  that  person  says 
about  himself  or  anything  else,  as  being  true,  and  to 
relate  oneself  to  him  as  one  who  thus  believes  in  him. 
The  man  in  business  makes  an  engagement  with  you  to 
meet  you  at  a  certain  time  and  place.  The  fact  that 
you  meet  him  at  that  appointed  time  and  place  is  an 
evidence  of  your  belief  in  him  and  his  word.  That  is 
faith  in  everyday  life.  Now  transfer  that  to  the  higher 
— the  spiritual  realm.     God  says  certain  things  con- 


THIl  SKEPTIC  187 

cerning  His  relation  to  men  and  their  salvation.  For 
example,  God  says  that  all  men  have  sinned  (1  John 
1:8-10),  and  are,  therefore,  under  wrath  and  condem- 
nation (John  3:18,  19,  36)  ;  but  that  He  so  loved  us, 
sinful  though  we  were  and  are,  that  He  gave  his  Son 
to  die  for  us  (Rom.  5:6-8),  in  order  that  the  wrath 
and  penalty  due  to  our  sin  might  fall  on  Christ,  our 
sinless  substitute,  and  not  on  us  (Gal.  3:13;  2  Cor. 
5:21;  1  Peter  2:24);  and,  therefore,  if  any  man  will 
believe  God's  testimony  concerning  these  things  (1 
John  5:9-12),  he  has  everlasting  life  and  shall  not  come 
into  condemnation  (John  5:24).  If  we  receive  the 
witness  of  men  (1  John  5:9,  10)— and  we  do,  daily- 
why  should  we  not  receive  the  witness  of  God? 

(a)  The  icay  to  find  out  whether  or  not  a  thing  is 
true  and  icorthij  of  one's  acceptance  is  to  put  this  thinq 
to  the  test.    So  ive  are  told  in 

John  7:17: 

If  any  man  will  do  his  will,  he  shall  know  of  the 
doctrine,  whether  it  be  of  God,  or  whether  I  speak  of 
myself.  ^ 

Notice  how  this  verse  reads,  especially  in  the  Revised 
Version.  We  get  to  know  the  truth  of  what  God  says 
by  obedience  to  that  truth.  Ordinarily  we  seek  to 
find  out  whether  a  thing  is  true  or  not  before  we  do 
it,  and  if  we  are  persuaded  that  it  is  true,  we  then 
do  it.  But  God's  ways  are  not  our  ways.  God  tells 
us  to  obey  the  doctrine,  to  do  His  will,  and  in  the 
do-ing  of  it  we  shall  discover  the  truth  of  it.  We  do 
first,  then  we  know. 

It  is  well,  therefore,  to  ask  the  inquirer  if  he  will 
do  the  things  God  asks  him  to  do.  For  example,  we 
are  told  in  the  Bible  that  ''God  is,  and  that  He  is  a  re- 
warder  of  them  that  diligently  seek  Him"  (Heb.  11 :6)  ; 
that  He  is  a  prayer-hearing  and  prayer-answering  God, 
one  who  is  nigh  unto  all  those  that  call  upon  Him  in 


188  PERGONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

tiiitli  (Psa.  145:18);  that  He  gives  assurance,  peace 
and  joy  to  those  that  keep  His  commandments  (Isa. 
32:17;  John  14:27;  John  1:4).  Now,  the  question  for 
the  inquirer  to  settle  Is,  whether  or  not  he  will  live 
his  life  as  in  the  presence  of  God,  call  upon  Him  fer- 
vently and  sincerely  in  prayer,  and  lead  a  life  that  is 
lived  in  obedience  to  God's  known  commands.  If  so, 
this  shows  that  he  is  a  sincere  seeker  after  truth,  for 
he  is  willing  to  follow  all  the  light  that  he  can  get.  If 
he  is  not  willing  to  do  this,  he  does  not  deserve  to  be 
classed  among  the  earnest-minded  skeptics. 

fb)  It  IV ill  he  icell  to  shoio  him  the  conditions  of 
salvation  as  laid  down  in  the  Bible. 

This  may  be  done  by  referring  to  Chapter  VI. 

Some  Skeptical  Objections. 
1.    "I  don't  belieye  in  the  existence  of  God.'* 

The  Bible  does  not  undertake  to  prove  the  existence 
of  God.  It  asserts  it;  it  takes  it  for  granted.  The 
sacred  volume  introduces  itself  to  us  with  the  sublime 
words,  ''In  the  beginning  God  created  the  heaven  and 
the  earth.-'  (Gen.  1:1.)  This  sublime  statement  at 
once  contradicts  Pantheism,  which  believes  that  God 
is  the  universe,  and  the  universe  is  God.  It  contra- 
dicts the  unity  of  matter,  and  asserts  the  independ- 
ency of  God  over  matter  and  His  separate ness  from  it. 

But  while  the  Bible  nowhere  undertakes  to  prove  the 
existence  of  God — always,  and  everywhere  taking  it  for 
granted — ^.yet  it  leaves  us  not  without  indications  and 
evidences  of  the  fact  that  there  is,  and  always  has 
been,  and  ever  will  be,  a  living,  intelligent,  personal 
Being  whom  we  adore  and  worship  as  God. 

"In  a  musical  instrument,  when  we  observe  divers 
stops  meet  in  harmony,  we  conclude  that  some  skillful 
musician  tuned  them.  When  we  see  thousands  of  men 
in  a  field,  marshaled  under  several  colors,  all  yielding 


THE  SKEPTIC  180 

exact  obedience,  we  infer  that  there  is  a  general,  whose 
command  they  are  all  subject  to.  In  a  watch,  when 
we  take  notice  of  great  and  small  wheels,  all  so  fitted 
as  to  concur  in  an  orderly  motion,  we  acknowledge 
the  skill  of  an  artificer.  When  we  come  into  a  print- 
ing office,  and  see  a  great  number  of  different  letters 
so  ordered  as  to  make  a  book,  it  is  evident  that  there 
is  a  composer,  by  whose  art  they  have  been  brought 
into  such  a  frame.  When  we  behold  a  fair  building, 
we  conclude  it  had  an  architect;  a  stately  ship,  well- 
rigged,  and  safely  conducted  to  the  port,  that  it  hath 
a  pilot.  So  here  the  visible  world  is  such  an  instru- 
ment, army,  watch,  book,  building,  ship,  as  undeniably 
argueth  a  God,  who  was  and  is  the  tuner,  general,  and 
artificer,  the  composer,  architect,  and  pilot  of  it." 

With  the  above  thought  in  view,  see 

Rom.  1 :19,  22 ; 

Because  that  which  may  be  known  of  God  is  manifest 
in  them  ;  for  God  hath  shewed  it  unto  them. 

For  the  invisible  things  of  him  from  the  creation  of 
the  world  are  clearly  seen,  being  understood  by  the 
things  that  are  made,  even  his  eternal  power  and  God- 
head ;  so  that  they  are  without  excuse. 

rsalm  8 :1,  3 : 

O  Lord  our  Lord,  how  excellent  is  thy  name  in  all 
the  earth  !  who  hast  set  thy  glory  above  the  heavens. 

When  I  consider  thy  heavens,  the  work  of  thy  fingers, 
the  moon  and  the  stars,  which  thou  hast  ordained. 

rsalm  33 :6 : 

By  the  word  of  the  Lord  were  the  heavens  made ;  and 
all  the  host  of  them  by  the  breath  of  his  mouth. 

No  man  can  be  counted  really  wise  (Psa.  14:1)  who, 
in  the  face  of  such  evidences  as  these,  doubts  the  exist- 
ence of  an  all-wise,  all-ruling,  personal  God. 

2.    **I  don't  believe  in  future  eternal  punishment." 

The  argument  commonly  used  against  future  pun- 
ishment is  the  incompatibility  of  God's  love  with  such 


190  riJUSOXAL  SOULWINNINa 

a  doctrine.  We  must  not  let  our  sympathy  run  away 
with  our  judgment,  however.  We  must  not  forget  that, 
while  the  Bible  asserts  that  God  is  '4ove,"  it  also  tells 
us  that  God  is  ''just."  We  have  no  more  authority  for 
l)elieving  the  one  than  the  other.  Both  statements  are 
equally  clear  and  emphatic.  Love  is  not  an  effeminate 
tenderness — a  weak,  womanish  sympathy,  that  cannot 
punish  the  disobedient.  There  was  a  time  when  the 
terror  of  the  law  was  preached  too  much ;  now  the  pen- 
dulum has  ^wung  over  to  the  other  extreme — too  much 
love. 

The  question:  Is  there  a  hell?  resolves  itself  into 
this:  Is  there  a  moral  Governor  of  the  world?  Is 
there  a  moral  law?  Is  there  such  a  thing  as  sin?  For, 
if  there  be,  then  there  is  such  a  thing  as  punishment 
for  sin.  There  is  sin,  and  there  is  punishment  for  sin 
which  we  daily  witness.  But  there  is  not  for  all 
sin  such  a  reckoning  in  this  world  as  meets  the 
claims  of  righteousness  and  justice.  Do  we  not  daily 
see  evil  doings  pass  undetected,  and  many  bad  men 
pass  unpunished?  See  how  often  the  righteous  suffer 
and  the  wicked  flourish.  When  we  take  a  deliberate 
view  of  these  things  we  are  led  to  exclaim,  ''Wherefore 
do  the  wicked  live,  become  old,  yea,  are  mighty  in 
power?"  Is  there  no  reward  for  the  righteous?  Is 
there  no  punishment  for  the  workers  of  iniquity?  Is 
there  no  God  that  judgeth  in  the  earth?  And,  indeed, 
were  there  no  retribution  beyond  the  limits  of  the  pres- 
ent life,  we  should  be  necessarily  obliged  to  admit  one 
or  the  other  of  the  following  conclusions :  Either  that 
no  moral  Governor  of  the  world  exists,  or  that  justice 
and  judgment  are  not  the  habitation  of  His  throne. 

See  the  following  passages : 

Luke  16 :23-26 : 

And  in  hell  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  being  in  torments,  and 
seeth  Abraham  afar  off,  and  Lazarus  in  his  bosom. 


THE  SKEPTIC  191 

And  he  cried  and  said.  Father  Abraham,  have  mercy 
on  me.  and  send  Lazarus,  that  he  may  dip  the  tip 
of  his  finger  in  water,  and  cool  my  tongue ;  for  I  am 
tormented  in   this   flame. 

But  Abraham  said,  Son.  remember  that  thou  in  thy 
lifetime  receivedst  thy  good  things,  and  liliewise  Lazarus 
evil  things :  but  now  he  is  comforted,  and  thou  art 
tormented. 

And  beside  all  this,  between  us  and  you  there  is  a 
great  gulf  fixed :  so  that  they  which  would  pass  from 
hence  to  you  cannot ;  neither  can  they  pass  to  us,  that 
would  come  from  thence. 

Luke  12:5: 

But  I  will  forewarn  you  whom  ye  shall  fear :  Fear 
him,  which  after  he  hath  killed  hath  power  to  cast  into 
hell :   yea,   I   say   unto  you,   Fear  him. 

Matt.  25:41,  46: 

Then  shall  he  say  also  unto  them  on  the  left  hand, 
Depart  from  me,  ye  cursed,  into  everlasting  fire,  pre- 
pared for  the  devil   and  his  angels  : 

And  these  shall  go  away  into  everlasting  punishment : 
but  the  righteous  into  life  eternal. 

Mark  9  :43,  44  : 

And  if  thy  hand  offend  thee,  cut  it  off :  it  is  better 
for  thee  to  enter  into  life  maimed,  than  having  two 
hands  to  go  into  hell,  into  the  fire  that  never  shall  be 
quenched  : 

Where  their  worm  dieth  not.  and  the  fire  Is  not 
quenched. 

3.    "I  don't  believe  in  the  inspiration  of  the  Bible." 

Let  us  not  fear  that  the  unbelief  of  men  in  this  sacred 
volume  will  ultimately  cause  its  overthrow.  Heaven 
and  earth  may  pass  away,  but  one  jot  or  tittle  of  God's 
Word  shall  never  pass  away  till  all  be  fulfilled.  (Matt. 
5:18.) 

Let  us  show  them : 

(a)  That  tJieir  unbelief  does  iiot  make  God's  Word 
void. 

Rom.  3 :3,  4  : 

For  what  if  some  did  not  believe?  shall  their  unbelief 
make    the   faith    of   God    without    effect? 

God  forbid :  yea,  let  God  be  true,  but  every  man  a 
liar  ;  as  it  is  written,  That  thou  mightest  bo  justified  in 
thy  sayings,  and  mightest  overcome  when  thou  art 
judged. 


192  PERSONAL  SOUL-WINNING 

(h)  The  testimony  of  the  Scriptures  to  their  inspira- 
tion. 

2  Tim.  3 :16 : 

All  scripture  is  given  by  inspiration  of  God,  and  is 
profitable  for  doctrine,  for  reproof,  for  correction,  for 
instruction  in  righteousness  : 

See,  also,  2  Peter  2:19-21;  1  Thess.  2:13;  2  Sam. 
23:2;  Heb.  4:12;  Jer,  23:27,  28. 

Compare  also  Psalm  119,  aud  see  how  often  David 
calls  the  Scriptures  God's  "Word/''  '4aw,"  "statute," 
"testimonies,"  etc. 

4,    **I  do  not  belieTe  in  the  deity  of  Christ," 

See  under  "The  Unitarian,"  page  142. 


Princeton  Theological  Seminary  Libraries 


1    1012  01232  2485 


Date  Due 

My  8    '44 

(i  2!fl  '40 

^,fc  f 

^    '-  f    •!, 

f4 

;\  w    i.  ■ ;      ^ 

FH?    . 

f:i' 

MY  18^53 

ftp   1  4  ■A'. 

IP  n  1 M 

iT 

3^ 

mn^ L. 

^  !>-;;■  lii  '"^ 

m 

4iiliii«^ 

*"  *^  '48 

■.;    9-«e 

*?(?  J- 

^ 

a 


